Primary Mechanisms
by UlurNaga
Summary: She was always teaching people about ways to revolutionise machinery. But after taking a job at N.E.S.T as their mechanic, it turns out the machines have a few things to teach her instead. Optimus/OC Rated for language & sexual content in later chapters.
1. Dream To Make Believe

**Welcome readers! This is what I've decided to dub, a PILOT CHAPTER. I got so many favourites (and a few reviews) from the Prime Suspect Oneshot, that I've decided to extend the story into something more complex.**

**This isn't directly related to the Oneshot, it's more like a "stretched out" version. It takes place about a year and a half after the ending of Transformers 1 (**_**that's roughly about 6 months before the start of Transformers 2, just so you know**_**), and will probably contain spoilers for all 3 movies at some point.**

**This is a ****test chapter****, I want to see how it's received. So everyone PLEASE, I'm looking for REVIEWS on this chapter, not just Favourites or Alert listings. If you like the chapter, and would like to see this turn into a proper story, Review it and let me know! I want to know what you like, dislike, want to see, EVERYTHING.**

**Otherwise I will probably just take it down and keep it as a Oneshot.**

**If you want the gist of who the character Tessa is, go and read Prime Suspect.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Tessa and her obsession for Skittles.**

Her employment agent hadn't said anything about _this_! Sitting in the back of a military issue vehicle between two burly men in army greens, with _guns_ mind you, had not been a part of what the job agency told her. She'd been told it was a tight lipped company, who very rarely did job interviews of any sort, but she hadn't been told that they would escort her from the designated interview location at her local cafe, put her into said military vehicle, blindfold her and tell her to keep quiet. This had better be one _damned_ good career opportunity!

Blindfold still covering her eyes; she let loose a very long sigh as she tapped her fingers agitatedly on her knees. Quite subtly she tried to reach up to peek out from the blindfold, but her attempt was quickly reprimanded by the barrel of a gun snapping firmly against her knuckles in a warning.

"Location is classified. Don't try it." Came a stern, strictly militant voice to her left.

_Figures_…she thought glumly, returning to tapping her fingers again.

Suddenly she started breathing in deeply through her nose; severe, drawn out intakes. The inhalation of air in such a manner would no doubt have gotten the two escorts' attention, because her over dramatic breathing was the only noise in the car. Hell, they hadn't even offered to put the radio on for her. And oh boy…the things she could do when she was _bored_!

"You army guys should close your legs…" she stated bluntly, "It smells like fish in here." There was a strangled noise from next to her, although whether it was from amusement or disbelief she was unable to tell through the blindfold.

"What did you just-?"

"-Can I have my Skittles back please?" she chimed, completely moving from one topic to another. "Seeing as you guys cheated me out of my _lunch interview_, I'm sort of…you know…_hungry_." When her she saw her employment agent next, his ass was going to be thoroughly introduced to her foot. The interview had been organized at a café. She wasn't quite sure how it had turned into this, but as she felt the car pulling to a stop she guessed that she was about to find out what the hell was going on. To her relief, she felt one of the soldiers, obviously the one who'd snatched her Skittles off her in the first place when she'd tried to eat them in the vehicle, return the packet of fruit flavoured lollies into her hand.

They guided her, still blindfolded, into what she had to assume to be some sort of high security warehouse at least; that's what it _sounded_ like. She heard a lot of talking, the sound of army vehicles being driven and most attention grabbing, a male voice being directed at her.

"Teresa Jackson?"

The blindfold was removed and she resisted the urge to hiss at the harsh, midday light burning holes into her retina. She shot up her free hand to cover them as a distinctly pissed off snarl escaped her throat. She'd had just about enough of this covert bull-crap.

"This better be one fucking hell of an interview." She muttered under her breathe as she blinked rapidly, her eyes finally beginning to adjust to the light. Standing before her at the entrance to the building, dressed in rugged army greens was a man no older than about 25 years with a short, standard issue short back and sides haircut, broad-set shoulders, handsome features and a rifle strapped to his back .Standing next to him was a dark skinned African American who was about a head shorter than his comrade, dressed in the same khaki patterns. He was bald, and his eyes were very expressive; he looked a little more neutral than the taller Caucasian male whose face was marred by what appeared to be concern. The bald one clapped the taller man on the shoulder, said something then smiled and left; obviously having something else he was supposed to be doing.

Said white guy addressed her once more, seeing as she hadn't answered yet. Her mind had been too preoccupied with taking in her surrounding environment.

"Teresa Jackson?" he stated, a little more bluntly. Tess was snapped out of her observations with a quick shake of her head.

"Oh. Uh, yeah; Tessa actually. Sorry, I was…kind of blinded for a second there." She didn't hold out her hand to him, still wary and unsure of what she had been dragged here for, "And I'm addressing….?"

"Captain Will Lennox." He stated, extending his hand to shake hers. Although he did so without hesitation, Tessa had caught his previously furrowed brow and the downturned corners of his lips. There was something that was clearly bothering him, but she wasn't quite sure what it was. Clasping her hand in his she shook it firmly, not forgetting for a second that this was still apparently some sort of job interview. She hated interviews, she'd been going to them for months but nobody would hire her due to the fact that she was a female. _Apparently_ garage men tended to feel a bit emasculated when a woman could fix a machine better than they could; sexist pigs that they were. Hell, she'd even dressed nice for her interview today. Well…_her_ version of nice. Her outfit consisted of a pair of brown denim jeans, a black button up office shirt, and a pair of mid-calf, black Doc Martins. Her long, copper brown hair had been pulled up into a bun, her side bangs left free to do as they please. Her ears were pierced several times with tiny, silver hoops and she also wore no make-up; she was a mechanic, not a cosmetics retailer.

"I would say that it's a pleasure to meet you, sir…but I don't exactly know where I am or why I'm here: unless the G.I. Joes who escorted me into a truck intended to play "pin-the-career-on-the-job-interview" if you get what I mean." She pointed her thumb at the two who had been sitting in the truck with her.

Lennox furrowed his brow again, nodding. "Yeah, I apologise about that but we can't be too careful. You were recommended to my superior by your employment agency, and they've asked me to…interview you." He looked clearly wary of her presence, and it had to make Tess wonder just how secret this place was supposed to be. That aside, she was confused as to why it apparently had to be _her_ as the candidate for this job, not that she was complaining; hell she had to pay her rent somehow.

"The…army…?" she asked, questioning whether or not "army" was the right term to use for fear of actually offending the Captain who easily towered over her, "…doesn't have its own mechanics? Surely someone you guys actually _trusted_ would be better, if you're so clearly worried about having to hire an outsider."

Lennox's face softened a little more; evidently relieved that she understood the situation. He turned to enter the building, motioning for her to follow. She noticed that her armed _chaperones_ had not moved to follow them; clearly they had already been informed of what they were supposed to be doing. With a shrug she quickly jogged to catch up with Lennox as he made his way through the warehouse into the main hangar. He navigated a few side orders to some men who were slacking off, then turned to Tessa as she reached his side, quickening her step so that her shorter legs could keep pace with his.

"The reason they want to offer the job to you is because they've looked very closely into your work. We do our research here, and they seem pretty certain that there are very few people with you set of skills. You designed and developed new function engines right?"

"Yes, sir." She replied, nodding the affirmation. She didn't know anything about military protocol, hell the closest she'd come to a war was a paintballing with her cousins on their farm, so she was trying as best she could to show him the respect he obviously deserved.

"And you've done a lot of custom work with vehicles of all varieties, is that true?"

"Y…yeah…but how did you-?"

"What kind of engine work was the custom?"

A sigh escaped Tess and she pulled a few Skittles from the red packaging and popped them into her mouth; hoping to sugar away the stress she was feeling. One of them was lemon, her least favourite of the flavours, and she tried not to screw up her nose in disappointment. Instead she looked up at Lennox as they walked to answer his question, shifting the Skittles into her back teeth to be chomped on. "I created a lot of hybrid engines. You know, fusing parts together that wouldn't normally be used for what I used them for; sometimes I would even weld a part from scratch, something a normal engine isn't designed to have. I guess the way I build engines is kind of like trying to piece together a Picasso."

Lennox was careful to guide her down a corridor of the building, with many indoor windows, obviously being other rooms of the facility. They were tinted black, clearly for the privacy and confidentiality of the people inside. She could very faintly see large squares of illumination; obviously some types of computer screens for whatever "top secret" show they were running. Did she really want a job in a place like this?

"That's why they recommended you. The vehicles that are a part of this operation are…_different_ than the ones you're probably used to working on." Lennox bit his lip as they stopped outside a heavy duty, thick steel door at the end of the corridor. There were no other rooms this far down, and there was a very complex looking computer based lock system on the wall next to it. This in and of itself piqued her interest. He turned to her and exhaled deeply before looking her straight in the eye, trying to convey the seriousness of his next words. "I don't mean this in an offensive way, Miss Jackson, but…if it were up to me I wouldn't be hiring anyone outside N.E.S.T's own militia. But our current medi…I mean, our current _mechanic_ can't always attend to the cars; it's too big a workload. I don't want to hire you, not because of anything personal against you; it's just that this operation is…being _beyond_ classified makes it difficult to-"

Tessa raised her hand politely to get his attention, her forearm lifting rigidly against her bicep as she smiled; seeing the issue he was trying to express. "Captain Lennox? I understand what you're trying to say. I'm new, I'm an unknown factor; a loose bolt in an already up and running engine. But let me just make it simple for you, and the guys of your team…N.E.S.T right?" Lennox nodded in response, "Anything you don't want me to see…consider it not seen."

This caught captain off guard. "What…what do you mean by that?"

She smirked and ran her finger and thumb across her mouth like a zipper. "Sworn to silence."

It was in this moment that she noticed the metaphorical coil that Lennox had seemed to have tensed in his shoulders loosened, his face softening a small bit. She was no threat, and he could see that. Giving a small nod to himself more so than her, he turned to the keypad and typed in a number too quickly for Tessa to see. He then pressed his thumb to the print pad, letting it scan before typing in another, slightly longer code; then the door gave a loud, almost screeching beep and opened for them. Lennox went through first, his hand raised for her to wait. He was looking out at something, or someone she couldn't see before calling out "Unauthorized on site! You know the drill!" there was a loud, mechanical whirring noise filled with metal clanking, and the sound of hydraulics conjoining from far outside the door that made her eyes widen in curiosity, before the usual base racket was all that could be heard. What in _Hell's_ name kind of show were they running here? Then Lennox turned to her and motioned for her to move forward. "All clear, you can come in now."

Once walking through the door, Tess realised that they were up on a raised metal walkway; more than likely added after the base's construction. Men and women in uniforms were bustling about doing various jobs, barking orders and a few were sitting at a metal cafeteria folding table playing a card game of some sort. She suddenly felt incredibly out of place. Everyone here knew the protocol; knew the order and rank of how things worked. They were all brave, courageous members of an obviously military formation; and Tessa was the scruffy, outsider little grease monkey who created freak engines by fusing metal together. In that small moment she felt tiny; almost insignificant.

Then…she saw them.

A commute of automotive beauties, vehicles of drastically varying types congregated in the hangar; beautiful even though they were marred with _many_ dents, scratches and…was that a _gash_? Her heart twisted at the sight of them, and by pure instinct she snapped her hand up to grip Lennox's sleeve, causing him to stop his stride and look at her. He followed her gaze and realized that she'd seen the vehicles. It was then he noticed her wide-eyed expression, and her mouth agape.

"Is something wrong?"

She took in a breath, trying to still the itch that tingled in her fingers, the desire to just…_tinker_ with them. "They're gorgeous. Are these…the vehicles you use in the military?" she turned her face up to look at him, and Lennox noticed the glimmer in her eye. He began to see why she had been the one recommended for this job; she possessed a passion for what she did. Maybe he'd been wrong in thinking that this was a bad idea.

"Kind of…" he smiled, his face turning up in a very secretive smirk, "These vehicles are highly confidential special issue; let's just say the technology used on them is so advanced that it's…almost alien." Tessa, however, didn't pick up on the subtlety of his remark; instead her mind went awhirl at the possibilities in the technology advancements.

"You mean…they're like…spy cars?"

Lennox shrugged nonchalantly at her, clearly avoiding her question before making his way down the metal stairs, his standard issue boots thumping heavily against the frame as he descended. She followed close behind, now _more_ than willing to get onto the ground floor to see the magnificent creations of metal. He led her over to them with an apprehensive smile "Time for the interview to really begin. Consider this a trial. Show me what you know."

She snapped her head back to face him so quickly that for a brief second the captain feared she'd self-induced a case of whiplash. Her eyes were wide, anticipating and entirely void of anything but the excitement of a child. "You mean, I get to work on them; right now?"

"No. You get to inspect the _exterior_; which means no hood popping, then inform me of the damage and tell me what you plan to do to fix it." Lennox replied, watching with mild amusement as her expression faded into one of slight disappointment before masking itself in seriousness. Her stance changed, her shoulders squared; she was in mechanic mode.

"Sounds good." She turned to look at the array of incredible vehicles, her eyes settling on the closest one being the black Topkick, damaged and bent in its framework. In fact, all of the automotive vehicles were severely damaged in some way. "Must have been some battle these went into…" she murmured, just loud enough for Lennox to hear. However he ignored the statement, deciding to just let her inspect the vehicles. On his part, this was probably a good idea because Tess hadn't actually been addressing him; she was lost in her mechanical thoughts and tended to converse with herself while she was. She stepped closer to the Topkick and ran her fingers gently over the bent and dented metal. Taking a few seconds, she just felt and _listened_ to the truck. Engine and body work was what she did for a living, it was what she breathed and it was easier to understand something she had her hands on.

She tapped, touched and inspected the metal, explaining step-by-step what she would do and use to repair the damage before moving on to the Corvette Stingray next to it. To this she did the same, but she almost had a heart attack when she felt it tremble as her fingertips gently grazing the side doors. She turned to Lennox with an astonished look in her eyes. "What on earth was _that_?" she exclaimed, turning back to look at the battered, silver sports car that was now sitting completely still.

He gave her a smile, clearly trying not to laugh at something, before say it in a strained tone, "Sometimes it's like these cars have a mind of their own. I did tell you the technology was advanced."

Her eyebrows scrunched together in something akin to confusion as she regarded what he said. "Well…if there's a bug in the system somewhere, whatever weird computers you guys use in these things; I'll find it." She stated, before reeling back to where the cars were.

"I don't doubt that."

However she was back to work, ignoring what Lennox was saying; tuned completely into her task as she checked and rechecked the damage on the vehicles, all the while giving a detail report of what the visible damage was, and how exactly she could fix them. Her last objective was the Peterbilt semi parked a little ways behind the rest of the cars, it's custom blue and red paint job easily visible despite the insanely numerous dents, scratches and twisted pieces of metal marring its overall appearance. She had to pause to look at it, taking in its spectacular, almost regal air. Turning to Lennox, who had been following her closely; she clearly displayed that wistful, dreamy look she had when first spotting the vehicles. He knew exactly what that look was from.

"Nice truck huh?" he smirked, loud enough for a certain truck to hear, should they have been listening in the immediate vicinity. He folded his arms over his chest and watched as she gently pressed her outstretched fingers onto the mangled grill, her eyes falling on the symbol at its tip, running her thumb almost lovingly over the indentation of the brand. She looked back at him with an upturned lip, a hint of a smile.

"This is the most gorgeous piece of machinery I've ever seen," she stated, before her smirk turned into a sly, almost cheeky grin. "It's…_definitely_ a sexy truck."

Captain William Lennox almost died trying to contain his laughter; his eyes watering and his chest burning from the strain before he coughed in an attempt to compose himself.

"Well, he's never quite got that reaction before, I'm sure he appreciates the compliment." Lennox replied with a contained smirk. He clearly knew something she didn't, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"He? You refer to the cars with a gender?" she asked curiously, smiling back at him despite her lack of insight to his secret, "I…used to do that when I was a kid…but every place I've worked at, they'd give me shit for admitting that." Reaching out her hand hopefully she looked him dead in the eye. "If you're willing to take me on, sir; I would be _honoured_ to work for N.E.S.T as their mechanic."

Impressed by her composure he gave a nod and clasped his hand into hers, shaking it firmly.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Jackson."


	2. My December

**Okay first of all: WOW! Thanks so much for the reviews guys! Having this story received so well has just been so wonderful! I've decided to post up another chapter, seeing as you guys just gave me so much inspiration that I just KEPT WRITING hahaha.**

**This chapter doesn't have much of the N.E.S.T crew, because it's more just a look into Tessa as a character; giving you guys a little more about her to associate with. DON'T WORRY, the Autobots will most likely be up in the next chapter or two (**_**depending on how impatient I am to get them into her life hahaha**_**) so please bear with me guys!**

**After all, she's only just been hired; they aren't gonna let her in on ALL their secrets just yet are they? Besides, anticipation is half the story!**

**PLEASE keep up the reviews everyone; it's honestly what keeps me writing, when you guys aren't interested, I'M not interested. So let me know what you think, even if it's something you want me to improve on, or incorporate into the story.**

**Disclaimer: Until the respective owners realize my awesomeness and give me the copyrights, Transformers does not belong to me.**

"Oh thank God that's over with…" Tess groaned at the memory of all that _paperwork_, swinging the door of the military truck open and leaping down from the passenger seat. She turned to look at the driver who had dropped her off; Will Lennox. She smiled politely and saluted him sloppily before checking to make sure her keys were in her pocket. "Thank you for the lift, I hope it wasn't…you know, too far out of the way."

He shook his head. "It's okay. Now, make sure you've got your stuff ready by 7 this evening; you'll be working pretty late tonight. Because they need those vehicles repaired ASAP, you'll be staying on base for the next few days or so."

"Yeah, I know. I'll have my stuff by then."

Lennox smirked cheekily before gesturing vaguely behind him with his thumb as if pointing at the base itself. "Don't forget, they're still trialling you. Until you're definitely permanent, someone from N.E.S.T is always going to have to pick you up or drop you off from the base; and they'll probably keep doing the blindfold too."

Tessa felt like groaning in annoyance, but resisted; she still didn't know Lennox very well and he was still her superior. Instead she nodded with a small smile. "Okay, thank you Mr Lennox, sir. I'll see you at 7." He gave her a short wave before assaulting the truck's gears and hauling it out of the driveway. She had to smile at…what an _interesting_ afternoon it had been. Sighing heavily she turned and made her way up the gravel path towards her front door before fumbling the keys from her pocket and shoving them into the lock.

She pushed the door to open it, but as usual it stuck; the wood was swollen which made it difficult to push it through the door's frame. Using her shoulder as a battering ram she thumped her full weight into the door, cursing loudly as it swung open and she went flying through; almost falling to the floor. Then she kicked the hellish thing shut before tromping up the hallway to her kitchen. Her house wasn't flashy, in fact it was anything but; however it was a roof over her head, and it was affordable; just a simple two-bedroom house with a full bathroom and a spare toilet attached to her bedroom. The back yard was barely mentionable; choked with weeds that she'd never gotten around to pulling up, and her basement doubled as both a rumpus room-slash-junk heap.

However the rest of her home was relatively tidy, even if there were scuffs in the floorboards, cracks in the paint and chips in the kitchen counter; it was her sanctuary. The one thing about her home that she _was_ proud of, was the double garage; the only part of the house that she kept _immaculately_ clean. There was always a table set with mechanical junk she was working on, whether it be cleaning a part or welding an entirely new one; there was always something there for her to use as a distraction from the everyday.

Dropping her keys onto the kitchen counter with a loud rattle, she opened her fridge and pulled out a carton of guava juice; twisting the lid off and drinking straight from the bottle. It was a disgusting habit she'd developed from living with two older brothers, but now that she lived alone she had no need to worry about anybody else. Not even if she had visitors over, because _nobody_ was entitled to drink her guava juice. She got awfully territorial when it came to her sugar, a fact that wasn't difficult to see with the Skittles packets constantly present in her pockets. After her thirst was satiated, Tessa took a quick look around the kitchen, making sure her house was as she'd left it that morning; two glasses and a plate waiting to be washed and the toaster on the counter next to the sink from breakfast. She filled the sink and washed up before putting away the toaster and checking the time on the microwave.

3:54pm.

Deciding that it was probably a good idea to have a shower before packing her things, she made her way to her bedroom and sat on the double bed to kick off her shoes; relishing in the feeling of stretching her toes. Her mismatched socks, green on one foot and pink on the other, were the next article to be removed before she yanked her towel off the hook from behind the door, grabbed a fresh change of underwear; and made her way down the hall to the bathroom. After turning on the ventilation fan to prevent the room from steaming up, she blasted the hot water of the shower and adjusted the temperature. Tossing the rest of her clothing into the hamper next to the sink she then ducked into the water; sliding the curtain shut after her.

Pulling her hair from the messy bun, she let the water beat down on her; trying to will away the tension that had coiled between her shoulder blades. The water made her hair heavier than usual; the bottom of it now brushing the small of her back.

_I should get it cut_…she thought, _does nothing but get in the way_.

With a heavy sigh she reached for the shampoo, dolloping it carelessly into her hand before checking the fragrance; jasmine and pomegranate. She shrugged at herself and started to scrub her hair, washing away the dust and dirt that had accumulated in it from the N.E.S.T base. It was another reason she thought about cutting it, she had to use so much shampoo and it took forever to try and wash it. Once said hair had been cleaned and conditioned, she grabbed the loofa from the tap and squeezed some body lotion onto it; lychee scented this time. Scrubbing almost viciously at her arms; she finished washing her skin and brushed her teeth. She then stood roasting under the water for a few more minutes before shutting off the water. She towelled herself dry and pulled on the clean underwear she'd brought from her room, ignoring the unsexy fashion of the plain, white cloth briefs. As she moved to exit the bathroom she caught sight of herself in the slightly foggy mirror; the white towel wrapped around her form with her long copper-brown hair hanging over it. Her skin was red and inflamed from the "boil-a-lobster" temperature of the shower; stretched over her slender, barely 5'2 frame. A few minor nicks and scars marred her flesh, some so small that they were barely visible, and one or two that showed the true perils of her occupation. After all, working with cutting torches, heavy machinery and functioning engines always had its dangers; but it was the fruits of those dangerous labours that made victory all the sweeter.

Once she was back in her own bedroom she rummaged through the drawers, trying to find something decent to wear. She tossed things from the drawers, displaying little concern as a pile started on her bed.

"Ah-_ha_!" she exclaimed, pulling a particular piece out of the drawers, tossing it onto the top of the dresser before moving down a few drawers for some pants. It never took her long to get dressed; she didn't give too much thought to what she wore because as soon as she started working it would get dirty. She decided on a pair of dark wash, low-rise jeans, her favourite brown, steel-capped boots and a plain, black V-neck shirt made of stretch cotton. The fine, white gold chain she wore was easily visible against her collarbone; a plain and unembellished cross that her grandmother had passed down to her adorned on it. Tessa was not religious by any stretch of the imagination, but her Gran had been; and left the cross to her only granddaughter in her will several years ago.

_While shutters enclose,_

_The boundaries of my heart,_

_I hold my breath,_

_Till the steady beating is shut out._

The sound of her cell phone going off drew Tessa's attention to the kitchen, and she near fell over herself to get there before "The Truth of My Perception" by As I Lay Dying stopped playing from it. She checked the caller I.D and couldn't help but smile as she answered it.

"Hey Riley." She greeted happily, a smile evident in her voice as she ran her fingers through her damp hair.

"_Hey beautiful_." Came a familiar baritone voice through the phone, a chuckle clearly underlying the response, "_Didn't you have that job interview today?_"

She scoffed at the question, massaging her temple with her free hand as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "Yeah…it was certainly…_interesting_, I'll give it that."

"_How so? What happened?_"

Tess sighed as she recalled the day's events. "Well, I can't really tell you much because it's…I dunno…something classified or something…But, it did go well. In fact, I'm going to be staying on site for a few days; doing a late shift trial. Hopefully they'll take me on." She picked at a bit of dirt under her nails as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Riley gave a distinct snicker on the end of the line.

"_I don't think the world is ready to take you on, Teresa Cecily Jackson_" he snorted, Tessa groaning as her full name was slapped in her face. Then she realized that Riley was talking to someone on the other end of the line, "_What sweetie…? You want…? Okay…alright I'll ask her honey._" Then his voice grew louder as he spoke into the mouthpiece. "_Lucy wants to say hi to you._"

Tess could almost _feel_ her face light up at the thought of the adorable five-year-old. "Sure thing put her on!"

There was a minor scuffle as the phone exchanged hands, and then the sound of a child breathing came into earshot. "_Aunt Tessie?_" The woman on the other end of the line felt her heart swell at hearing her niece's voice. Riley was Tessa's eldest brother who was quickly approaching 32, a fact that she just loved to jest at him about. He lived with his wife, Emma, his gorgeous daughter Lucy, and they had a new little boy on the way; that they planned to call Thomas.

"Hey there Lulu, how are you baby girl?" she gushed excitedly, her voice raising an octave or two as she spoke to the child.

"_We miss you Aunt Tessie! Mommy will be having Thomas soon! Will you come and visit him?_" Lucy asked. Tess could hear Emma in the background talking to the child, a smile clearly evident in her voice. Tessa gave a giggle at the small child's tone of voice, so full of innocent curiosity. It made her chest swell with love at the sound.

"Of course I will baby girl! Aunt Tessie just started a new job, so I'll be able to see you guys as soon as I get time off work, okay gorgeous?" she chimed happily. The little girl responded with a cute, high pitched "uh-huh" before Tessa continued to talk. "I need you to tell Mommy and Daddy that I have to go baby girl, okay? I have to go and fix some cars. I'll talk to you soon, sweetheart."

"_Okay!_" there was a distinguishable sound of conversation in the back ground before Lucy returned to the phone. "_Mommy and Daddy say bye! Love you, Aunt Tessie!_"

"I love you too, Lulu. Bye, bye."

Hanging up the cell, she slid it into her pocket and ran her hands through her damp, wavy auburn locks. Deciding she'd better brush it before it started to dry too much she made her way back to her room and picked up the cushioned paddle brush; running it roughly through the tousled mane. She pulled out a small toiletry bag from under her bed and stuffed it with the necessary essentials for the next few days she would be at N.E.S.T's location. Then she pulled out the old roller suitcase out from the closet and threw in the pile of clothes she had previously tossed onto her bed, not really caring what it was that was being crammed into the case. Leaving the two cases sealed and sorted for her ride later that evening, she headed through her kitchen and into her garage; her fingers tingling with that familiar itch. A dilapidated old, blue 1967 Plymouth Valiant sat waiting in its usual spot, the hood popped and ready for her to begin her work. Pulling the navy blue, trade jumpsuit from the hook on the wall and yanked it on over the top of her clothes; then she took her toolbox off the workbench, pulled up a seat and began to tinker and fix; the hours slowly slipping by without her notice.

Tessa had become so lost in her work, that she near jumped five feet when she heard a banging at the garage door. She pushed the button for the automated sheet of metal to lift up, and reveal the bald, dark skinned man she'd seen talking to Lennox when she'd arrived for her interview earlier that day. She looked surprised, and then realized that she was staring rather blankly. Snapping out of it, she tried to cover up her impolite behaviour.

"Oh! Hello. I'm Tessa Jackson!" she exclaimed, holding out her hand to shake his. Then she noticed it was marred with grease spots, her fingernails stained black around the cuticle with the oily substance. She grabbed the cloth from her back pocket to wipe them on and then tried to wipe the remaining grime off onto the jumpsuit before holding out her hand again with an awkward smile and a shrug. "Sorry about that, grease-monkey's hands."

The man, who was roughly about half a head taller than her, smile and clasped her hand without any hesitation; a fact that both surprised and impressed her. Most people were put off by the general grubbiness of her fingers; and the fact that she always smelled like grinder sparks and metal.

"Don't worry about it. I'm Robert Epps; Lennox sent me to pick you up. You ready to go?" he asked, looking behind her into the garage; an appreciative look crossing his face as he spotted the car.

Tessa's eyes widened in shock at his question, "What? It's 7:00 already?" Epps looked at the watch on his wrist and gave a distinctive nod, raising his head to look at her again. She grabbed at her hair in frustration. "Oh man! I'm so sorry, I let time get away from me; I'll get my bags; just give me a minute."

Epps waved her off leaning casually against the frame of the garage with a laugh. "Not a problem. Take your time." He was dressed in military camouflage, with a red beret on his head; obviously some semblance of a military achievement. Giving a smile, Tess turned and went back into the house to gather her things before taking a few packets of Skittles; one of them already opened, from the pantry on her way through. She checked all the doors were locked, turned on the safety switch in the garage and locked the door to the kitchen behind her. "Okay; ready when you are, sir."

He gave a laughed and moved to exit the garage, turning to look at her as they walked. "Please, just Epps. You're not a part of the army; you don't need to call me sir." As Tessa turned to press the button on her keys to close the garage door, Epps took her suitcase out of her hand and she smiled up at him in response.

"Really? Thank you si-I mean…uh…Epps. Sorry, I guess I just…I think it's _because_ I'm not part of the army that I don't know what to call everyone. I don't know any of the protocols and I don't want to insult anyone by accident; all of this is…new to me."

Placing her gear into the back of the large military truck, Epps climbed into the driver's side and opened the door for her to do so at the other side. Once she was safely buckled in he started the behemoth vehicle and put it into gear before he turned to reply to her, the truck rumbling in its stationary position. He noticed the slight clench in her fingers around the handle of her toolbox, proof that despite her apparently composed exterior; she was still a nervous little girl in the wake of something new and scary. This made him smile.

"Don't worry about it kid. We'll have you up to speed in no time. Nobody knows it all on the first day; all you need to worry about is fixing up the Autobo…the uh-_automobiles_, a'ight?" He cringed at his slip-up; having near provided her with information she wasn't supposed to know. It was dangerous just how easy it felt to trust her; little more than a kid whose only concern was what she was fixing with her hands. However to his relief, she seemed not to notice, or at least _pretended_ not to; instead nodding in agreement to his statement. That was when Epps remembered Lennox quoting what she'd said to him in the interview.

"_Anything you don't want me to see…consider it not seen_."

This made him smile. She was either incredibly trustworthy or pretending to be; and as he noticed her pick up the black cloth from the dashboard he decided in his mind that it was probably the former. Because she held the fabric up and smiled at him with an understanding, almost cheeky smirk.

"Blindfolded right?" she asked.

He nodded, pulling the truck away from the curb. "Yup. Sorry kid; regulation until they decide to trust you themselves."

"No, it's okay. At least this time…" she grinned as she pulled a bag of already opened Skittles from her pocket and resting them on the console between them before knotting the blindfold over her eyes securely, "…I get to eat my Skittles."

Epps couldn't help but laugh. "Girl, I think you'll fit in just fine around N.E.S.T. Let me tell you, once you've settled in…it _definitely_ ain't gonna be boring."

She grinned in response, but looked rather silly doing so because she kept her face straight ahead. Fumbling her hand around on the middle console, she picked a few lollies out of the packaging and popped them into her mouth, chewing them with relish. "Feel free to take some; I have stacks." She heard him do so, and an almost amicable silence fell between the two as they headed for base; and not once did Tess try to peek under the blindfold.

This time, she was on her best behaviour because she knew at the end of the trip; there were several gorgeous vehicles just _waiting_ for her attention…


	3. We Are Godzilla, You Are Japan

**Well guys, here it is! Chapter 3 is finally up for your enjoyment. Tess doesn't meet the 'bots yet, but I figured that since you might lose interest if I drag it out much longer; they make an appearance this time :)**

**This is roughly 3 months before the beginning of Transformers 2 and I will be following the storyline of the movies; just with Tessa in the plot as well hahaha.**

**As always everybody, I FEED off of Reviews, even the constructive criticisms; so if you've taken the time to read this story please take the time to let me know what you thought. MUCH LOVE GUYS! Hope you enjoy it.**

It had taken all of three days for Tessa to realize that there was definitely something unusual about N.E.S.T; something that they weren't telling her. Soldiers who would be talking with one another would silence themselves or abruptly change the subject when she was in proximity. Lennox and Epps would dodge certain questions, or give her unrelated answers to things; even occasionally having to correct themselves if they almost let something slip. Then there were the weird noises; mechanical, hydraulic noises that just randomly occurred _only_ when she was out of the hangar. Or when she would hear Lennox talking to someone, and she'd enter the area to see him standing with nobody but the cars she worked on; whenever she asked about this his only response was to laugh and brush her off.

But Tessa didn't mind.

After all, she wasn't a member of the military; she wasn't entitled to know the things that they did and she understood. What _did_ bother her; was the fact that she still hadn't been allowed to pop the hoods on any of the "spy cars" as she called them. Epps had slyly informed her that she wasn't quite _ready_ to see what was under the hoods. At first she hadn't questioned it but after being at N.E.S.T for 3 months, buffing out dents, scratches and doing countless hours of welding on the bodies of the vehicles; she was getting annoyed. Their love of secrecy was infringing on her doing her job. _That_ was what frustrated her.

In the months that she had been at the base (s_till being carpooled with a blindfold, mind you_) she had been patient, just waiting for them to finally give her permission to fix the engines; but it never came. As the days and weeks ticked by, her level of calm resolve started to wear off and finally, after finishing a polish on the newly restored Corvette Stingray; she cracked.

"Lennox?" she called, jogging over towards him as he overlooked a set of manned computers, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

The man in question turned to face her, looking away from a paper folder he was reading before closing it in a subtle, "more-information-Tessa-isn't-allowed-to-know" attempt. He moved around to the front of computers so that she could not see. Tess already knew it was because she wasn't allowed to view whatever classified contents were on their screens; and she had no intention of trying to.

No; _Lennox_ was her current priority. He took in her appearance and recalled how she'd looked when she'd first started; always trying to stay clean and be on her best behaviour. Now she'd started to come out of her shell. She was funny, silly and unexpectedly intellectual; her recorded files on engine customisation had been a stroke of almost _revolutionary_ genius. She currently wore her usual mechanic's jumpsuit over her clothes; the pants of the outfit covered in greasy streaks and handprints where she'd tried to wipe away the grime. Her long, wavy hair was piled up into a messy, careless bun with a screwdriver casually shoved into it just in case it was needed and her heavy steel-capped boots were scuffed with dirt and dust from the remote base's desert location.

"What can I do for you Tess?" he asked, already half suspecting what it would be about.

She sighed and rested her face in her hand before lifting her head again to face him. There were dirty prints on her temples when her fingers had touched. "I need to know when I'm going to be given permission to actually _work_ on the cars"

Lennox smirked, deciding to play on her words. "But you _have_ been working on them." He stated slyly, lifting an eyebrow in an attempted gesture of confusion. Tess puffed out her cheeks and blew air from her side of her mouth, causing the bangs that traced the left side of her face to lift from the breeze. The bottom of Tessa's right eye twitched in agitation.

"You know what I mean!" she mumbled; a submissive way of demonstrating that she was clearly annoyed at his attempts to play dumb, "How do they expect me to fix the things if they won't let me see them? Can't they at least let me test-drive them to see how they run? I might actually be able to accomplish something then!"

Lennox raised a hand to stop her before she started to raise her voice; Tessa's voice had a habit of getting quite loud when the topic was something she was passionate about. He thought for a minute before putting his hand on her shoulder. "I'll tell you what; I'll see what I can do for you…but I have to…consult the owners first. Okay?"

Tess furrowed her brow a little. "They…have private owners?"

"You could say that." Lennox snickered. Over the few months she'd been at base, he had become the closest thing she had to a friend; someone who reminded her of her brothers. Tess had seen photos of Lennox's wife and his baby girl; whom she had decided looked like an _adorable_ little kid.

Ignoring his subtle joke at her expense, Tessa sighed again and looked up at him pleadingly. "Alright, do what you have to do. But get me into these vehicles. I can't fix what I'm not allowed to work on Lennox. There was no point in them _hiring_ me if they won't let me repair the engines."

The captain gave a nod and smiled at her; slapping her playfully on the head with the file he carried before turning to walk away. "I'll let you know what they say. Go to lunch for an hour; Epps will drive you."

"But-I brought my lunch with me!" she called after him, "I can't afford to go out for lunch!"

"Epps will buy it; N.E.S.T will pay it back. Just go, you need a break and besides; you're annoying me." He shouted back, a loud chuckle evident in his teasing tone.

A huff escaped the brunette as she placed her hands on her hips in frustration. It wasn't the first time she'd been ordered to go off-base for lunch, and in her opinion; they just wanted to get rid of her.

"Damn army brats and their damned secrecy…" she mumbled.

Lennox, who knew more than well what she was probably saying, responded without turning around as he walked. "What was that?"

"Uh…Nothing!" she called back, running her fingers through her bangs before clutching at her scalp in frustration. _Well…as long as I get the chance to test those babies out, I'll go wherever they need me to go_…

Nodding to herself, she made up her mind and turned on her heel to go and find Lennox's dark skinned Sergeant.

-0-0-0-0-

"Okay, thanks Epps; take your time." Lennox stated, checking his wristwatch to confirm the time, "In fact, just wait for a call."

There was a deep chuckle on the other end of the line, the African American man amused by his friend's attempt at getting rid of Tessa. "_Sure man, whatever. You go talk to big man. Do what you gotta do._"

"Thanks. I'm out." He hung up the phone, placing it back on the computer desk. Then Lennox approached the vehicles in the middle of the room and gave a relieved sigh. "Alright everybody; you're all clear!" he called out, taking a few steps back from the large space. The hangar filled with mechanical whirring, clicking and the sound of hydraulics joining together before the convoy of assorted vehicles morphed into a congregation of mechanical aliens that Lennox's N.E.S.T team had come to know very well.

The Autobots.

"Oh _finally_!" Ironhide exclaimed, visibly jerking his head side-to-side in a neck cracking motion, "How much longer do we have to hide like this?"

"Yeah, Lennox; this is getting ridiculous." Lennox turned to see Sideswipe doing a similar exercise, casually rolling his shoulders with a satisfied groan. He gave an endearing smile, knowing that they felt cramped and confined; unfree in a place that should have been their sanctuary. For months now they had hardly been able to appear in their true forms, having to stay in car form for the sake of one person; someone they didn't know whether or not to trust. He took a few steps forward and addressed the circle of Autobots.

Lennox raised his hands in surrender, understanding their discomfort. "I know you guys are frustrated, and I'm sorry…In fact that's part of the reason I'm here. I wanted to talk to you about Tessa-"

"Oh y'all mean the candy with the nice hands!" Skids exclaimed, rubbing his hands together cheekily, "Mm-mm. She's got touch like a sexy little feather!"

Mudflap swung an arm and hit his twin in the face with violent force; almost knocking him to the ground. It was difficult to tell the two apart due to the fact that they were both pink and white; the design on their ice-cream truck form. Mudflap got up in his twin's face, shoving him. "Yo man! Not cool! That's a lady you talkin' about! Don't make me give you an ass whoopin'!" he snapped.

"Say whatcha want, she got a _fine _ass!"

Mudflap went to punch him again, but paused before his fist collided with Skids' face; pulling a thoughtful expression. "Yo, you know what? You right! She got-"

"Autobots! Control yourselves." A powerful voice resonated through the base; one that Lennox had to admit had been incredibly lacking in frequency of late. There, in the centre of the circle stood Optimus Prime. "You were saying, Captain Lennox?"

The giant robot had to look down on Lennox due to the massive height difference, but the human had never been made to feel insignificant by the regal leader. He nodded and raised his voice to address all of the massive mechanical beings.

"As all of you know, Tessa is the new mechanic that N.E.S.T has hired. But she's not in on you guys. We've tried to be wary of any new people being dragged into this; but with the Decepticon hunts getting more frequent, Ratchet isn't able to fix everyone. Teresa Jackson has been hired because she's a revolutionary in her field; I'm sure you all downloaded the research she did on customized engine fusion and mechanical ingenuity, right?"

Nods followed Lennox's remark, and Optimus spoke again. "Yes. Her grasp of technological mechanics is beyond your races' usual calibre."

"I agree." Ratchet confirmed, just to the Prime's left, "Almost ingenious."

Lennox waved his arms for their attention once more. "Okay! Yes, I know she's smart! That's part of the issue here guys. She's been working on the bodies of your car forms; but as a mechanic it's part of her job to fix the interiors. She wants to see the engines, and as you can probably already guess; once she's seen them she'll know that something is different about you guys but I don't want to let her in on the truth without the go-ahead. Optimus, these are your men; this is your call. What do you want me to do?"

Ironhide turned to their leader with an expectant expression. "What should we do?"

The 32 foot giant waited a moment before responding. "Autobots, what are your personal opinions?"

Ratchet was the first one to step forward with his views, his bright yellow paint new and shiny thanks to Tessa's hours of loving care. "I will vouch for an affirmative. She is skilled at what she does, and if she is to stay at N.E.S.T then she will have to know eventually." He looked to Prime before turning his gaze to the others, waiting for the next person to step forward. The next one to do this was Sideswipe.

"As much as I hate to sound like I'm agreeing with these wretched little glitches," he stated, pointing at Mudflap and Skids who had begun another round of roughhousing at the side of the hangar, "she's got nice hands. When she works it's just…gentle. It's almost like she _knows_ that we can feel. I'm with whatever you guys decide, but I like her."

"I've been observing, but I still don't know her." Jolt cut in, his fingers twitching over where he stored the electrified whips he used. His expression was blank, but his optics flitted back and forth between Optimus and Lennox. "I remain sceptical."

Will nodded at the tall blue robot with an understanding look written across his face, "I understand. Arcee? How about some woman's intuition over here?" he laughed, everyone's gaze turning to the smallest robot on the team. She gave him a distinctive smile and looked up to the rest of them.

"She loves what she does. Passion is a powerful thing." That was all she said before placing her hands casually on her hip armour; waiting for the next opinion. Lennox had planned to ask the twins' opinion next but decided against it, their views on Tessa had never been in question. They'd liked her from the get go; especially the way she hammered metal and painted decals.

So instead he turned to the Autobots' right hand man; Ironhide. "What about you?"

The massive black mech crossed his massive arms and shrugged. "Whatever Optimus decides, I am with him."

This made Lennox sigh and rub the back of his neck, feeling a slight headache coming on. "Well big man? What do you want me to do with her?"

The Prime looked around the base, seriously contemplating his answer before responding; weighing his decisions. The girl had truly proved herself a marvel with mechanics, never having encountered something she couldn't eventually fix. Since her first arrival on base, he'd observed every action; every small notion that humans often overlooked. She'd never questioned her lack of clearance; never argued about what she was or wasn't allowed to know. She jumped headfirst into any job; and he would have been lying if he'd said her personal research didn't both impress and fascinate him.

Most of all though, was the way she acted around _them_.

The little gestures she used, the way she would create one-sided conversation with the vehicles as she worked; the tender care she took when buffing out dents of filling scratches. She was easily the best person Lennox could have found for the job, and they couldn't afford to lose her to their need for secrecy.

The rest of the team was silent as he spoke. "From what I have seen of your race, I believe she is a fine example. We must tell her of our existence, or we will lose her; and _I_ believe we can trust her."

Lennox nodded with relief. He'd grown fond of the girl's presence; always at work early in the morning and not leaving until late. She was a new factor, but in his heart he knew that if _anybody_ from their world would be able to comprehend the Autobots' advanced technology; it was her. He made his way over to the desk, the numerous computers and cords creating an organized chaos around him as he reached for the phone on its stand. He punched in a number and turned to face the Autobots as he spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Hey Epps, you can bring her back."

"_What? It's only been 45 minutes. I thought you needed to-_"

Lennox cut in before his friend could continue. "I have confirmation. She's been cleared." There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line, and for a second he was worried that the line might have lost reception, but before he could say anything there was a heavy sigh on the other end; and he could hear the relief Epps had in his voice.

"_We'll be right there_."


	4. Tatakaumonotachi

**Sweet Primus, you guys are amazing! The fact that you guys are enjoying this story makes me so happy! After posting Chapter 3, I just…kept writing! I couldn't help it! Hahaha.**

**As a result Chapter 4 is here already, so I hope you enjoy it. I had A LOT of people asking to hear about Optimus's reaction to being called "a sexy truck" and to be honest I had planned to put it in but it hadn't fit anywhere. So in this chapter I made sure to reference it ;P**

**And so ****finally**** we come to Tessa introduction to the Autobots! My sister was actually the one who came up with the idea for Mudflap's pre-emptive reveal, so you can all thank her for me having the chapter finished so quickly. Hahaha.**

**Oh and just in case any of you were wondering where the Chapter Titles come from, I put my iPod onto shuffle and the song that comes up becomes the chapter name XD**

**As always guys, reviews are love: so make sure to show me the love!**

Taking a good look at his men around him, Optimus realised they were just as wary as he was about the coming situation; Tessa was on her way back to base. She was going to be let in on the secret, but there was no way for them to tell how she would react; what she would do when faced with the truth. Personally, the Prime hoped they were making the right decision. The girl had so far been nothing but perfectly understanding towards N.E.S.T's secrecy; and hopefully she would see why they'd had to keep it from her.

All of them were thinking over what they would say, how least to scare the girl; but in his gut Optimus knew that she had the frame of mind to withstand the shock…_hopefully_ anyway. A smile crept into his expression as he remembered her interview; her first contact with the trucks. When Lennox had first shown her what she was going to be working on; she'd reacted unlike anything they could have prepared for.

First her gentle caresses of Sideswipe's doors, which had in turn made the robot (_who was apparently ticklish they were later told_) react quite openly to her touch. That afternoon, once Tessa had left, the others had a good laugh at him; telling him that his reaction to a woman's touch was going to get them all caught. In Sideswipe's defence though, it had been an unexpected contact; everyone had felt like acting similarly at her touches.

But what had shocked Optimus the most was her blatant ability to compare a vehicle to human attractiveness; something that she had done with _him_!

_"Nice truck huh?" Lennox had smirked; his voice loud and close enough for the Prime to have overheard. He'd near chuckled at the comment; but refrained himself from it because of the present stranger's sake. Optimus had waited for her to inspect his truck form; wary of what to expect thanks to Sideswipe's earlier reaction. However when he felt her lithe fingers touch the metal on the grill, he realised that human contact had much more magnitude to it when they were intent on their focus. _

_Tessa's fingers traced the metal and then made their way up to where he knew the Autobots symbol was at its peak. Her thumb traced over the mark in what was almost a caress, and if Optimus had had to compare the feeling to something human; it would have been similar to that of a gentle tickle on the nose. It was almost pleasant. Then to his unexpected disappointment she removed her hands to speak to Lennox; who stood not far behind her._

"_This is the most gorgeous piece of machinery I've ever seen," she'd remarked, a smirk evident in her voice. Optimus couldn't help but feel his ego swell a little; robot or not, every male loved to have themselves admired. But then she continued her sentence, "It's…_definitely_ a sexy truck."_

_Okay that he hadn't been expecting…_

A slightly embarrassed smile crossed his facial plates as he remembered the observation. Certainly, he'd appreciated the compliment on being a fine piece of machinery; but sexy? Oh, he'd blushed right down to his _fenders_ at that one.

A sharp whistle drew the attention of the Autobots, and brought Optimus out of his revere; Lennox was standing before them with his arms crossed. "Alright guys," he started, clapping his hands together in preparation, "let's get you all back in form; Epps and I are going to bring her in, and try to prepare her. Don't transform until I tell you to; because chances are she'll think she's gone insane."

"I don't blame her." Ratchet added, nodding to himself.

Only a few seconds later they heard Epps yell through the hangar. "Okay guys! Here she comes!" Lennox responded by clapping his hands shortly at the Autobots to get ready and they all began to change back into their car forms; lying in wait for the mechanic who was about to have her mind blown three miles out of the water.

Lennox turned to greet Epps and Tessa as they entered the hangar, the girl's eyes flickering around in a mix between anxiousness and anticipation. She truly had no idea what N.E.S.T had up their sleeve, but at having been informed that she was actually _cleared_! She was going to be in on the secret; and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't excited about it. Her fingers twitched nervously at her sides and her boots scuffed the concrete floor; the metal lace clips jingling with every step. She was walking a little behind Epps; her expression easily readable to Lennox.

"So…" she started quietly, not knowing exactly what to say, "What's this "super-top-secret" scoop that I'm apparently _finally_ allowed to know?"

Epps smirked in Lennox's direction; having just sat through a long commute of Tessa trying to play 20 Questions to guess the big secret. She hadn't even come close. He sighed and cast a quick glance towards the vehicles before answering.

"Well Tess, Epps and I are both part of an organization that's designed to keep information like this from the general public. One of the only reasons you're being let in on it; is because there's nobody else who can do what you do. N.E.S.T needs you; so please don't freak out when this comes to light…okay?"

She snorted in an unladylike fashion before massaging her left temple. "Wow. Now I feel _super_ loved. How about you just drop the bomb on me, okay Lennox? I'm a big girl; I can keep a secret."

Lennox smirked. _Drop the bomb huh? So that's how she wants to play it? Fine..._ Sighing he leaned against the computer desk and shot her a grin, knowing she wouldn't believe him. "What would you say it I told you it had to do with aliens?"

Epps nearly choked at the abruptness of his friend's question. He hadn't expected him to just…blurt it out like that! But then again…Tessa _had_ told him to; Epps just worried about how she was going to react. She'd already dropped her hands to her sides in disbelief, her expression was that of a person who had just been slapped in the face with a fish; unable to comprehend that it had just happened.

"You…you mean like…funny coloured, probe-you-up-the-butt type aliens?" she shot him a quizzical look, her eyebrow raised in a defined arch, "I'd say you were nuts. Tell me what this is really about."

Lennox smiled at her and pushed himself up off the table. He approached within a few steps and clasped a hand firmly on her shoulder; looking her directly in the eyes. "N.E.S.T is an alien co-operation division. There are creatures here known as Autobots; in fact, you've already met them. They help us protect the planet from alien threats; enemies called Decepticons. No jokes or pranks, Tessa. This is what we do; what N.E.S.T _really_ is."

She gently shrugged his hand off her shoulder and started to laugh quietly; shaking her head in disbelief. Her eyes closed and her hand braced against her forehead as she did so.

Lennox looked at Epps, at a loss for what to do. The dark skinned man gave an uncertain shrug, looking to the cars that were scattered in from of them. "Maybe…we could just show her?" he exclaimed, turning back to Lennox; who gave a strangled noise as he waved his hands in a "no" motion.

"We can't just-"

However before Lennox could finish, there was a mechanical whirring filling the hangar; Mudflap had transformed; mistaking Epps' suggestion for a signal. Tess had stopped her laughter at the sound of the noise and stood staring at the pink and white robot with her jaw agape. Mudflap gave a dopey look that had to have been a grin and spread his arms wide in presentation.

"Ta-DA!" he exclaimed.

She took one step back on her heel, not removing her eyes from the creature in front of her; her expression full of disbelief. Instead of responding though, she was interrupted by the sound of more hydraulics grinding together and a loud yell following it.

"Yo stupid! You weren't s'posed to change yet!" Skids hollered, trudging over to smack his twin on the back of the head. "Now she gonna freak out seein' yo ugly face!"

Mudflap retorted by shoving him roughly, ignoring the gaping expression of the girl in front of them. "Why you callin' me ugly? We' twins you smart dumbass!" The two began to shove and argue, eventually starting to throw one another back and forth across the hangar. There was another round of robotic transformation and to Tessa's dumbfounded shock; her "sexy truck" began to shift into a 32 foot high metal rendition of a freaking _Adonis_ right before her eyes. He turned to address Lennox as the rest of the vehicles began to change as well.

"It looks like we might be out a little earlier than anticipated…" he stated calmly; his metallic edged voice sending a sharp chill up her spine. Her eyes darted violently to the others robots forming around her; still sent numb from the sheer shock of the situation. Lennox placed a hand on her shoulder from behind, in a gesture of support as she looked up at them.

"This is…impossible…" she whispered, unable for the life of her to look away from them; they were mechanical marvels. "I'm…going nuts…right?"

The tall black one with the massive shoulders bent down to look at her, his voice rasping with a mutated accent somewhere between English and American. He looked her over before scoffing in an almost patronizing manner. "This little thing is what is supposed to fix us? I don't see what makes this fleshy so unique." Then there was a whirring noise, and a set of photon cannons appeared around his forearms; pointed at her incredulously. "How about it, Squishy; feeling lucky?"

Tessa nearly snapped her neck jerking back as the mighty blaster was pointed in her direction; terror written on her face as she screeched, "The _fuck_ man?" She reached a hand into her pocket and grabbed the first thing she could to throw in retaliation; which turned out to be an already opened packet of Skittles. Flinging them violently as she tripped backwards into Lennox, the multi-coloured fruit lollies hit the mech in the face and spilled in all directions; hitting the floor noisily. "Don't _fucking point _those at me!" her voice lifted an octave; demonstrating that her actions had not been out of bravery, but out of fear and retaliation.

The massive black robot shook his head in surprise, trying to shake away the remaining tiny candies from his armour before breaking out into a bellowing laugh as he stood up. "I changed my mind! I _like_ this one." He exclaimed, watching as Lennox tried to keep her standing.

"Ironhide; enough." Came that stern, metallic voice; once more drawing Tessa's attention. He bent down onto one knee and looked directly at her. "Tessa Jackson. My name is Optimus Prime. I am the leader of the Autobots; and we take refuge here in order to protect your planet. You have nothing to fear from us." His optics bore through her eyes; almost into her _soul_ with their intensity. Lennox and Epps both supported her now, and she looked at each of them for answers; a desperate attempt for help. Epps gave her a pat on the back and helped her take a reluctant step forward.

"It's okay Tess; talk to him." He muttered, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly as he pushed her forward gently. Her feet felt numb, her legs felt weak; and her mouth felt like the Sahara Desert. Her eyes never once broke from the massive robot's; a fact that he didn't miss. She was terrified, that much was easy to see but she kept her eyes on the target; an admirable trait. She stopped just in front of him, the wary look on her face showing that she would have seized up at any sudden movement.

"This…isn't some…sugar induced hallucination…?" she murmured, her fingers twitching nervously. She was hardly moving at all; the shock still numbing her entire body.

Optimus had to refrain from laughing, because it would surely have either frightened or offended her. He shook his head slowly; not breaking eye-to-optic contact with her. "No. This is real. You were chosen for this job because your understanding of technology is almost as developed as ours. We are far more technologically advanced than most on your planet could comprehend. You think…what was the term…?"

"Outside the box." Epps finished with a smile, Tessa turning to look at him briefly; receiving a comforting smirk.

Optimus nodded. "Exactly." He turned back to face her once more, "You think outside of your planet's usual frame of mind; an engineer whose capabilities could rival our own. That is why we chose you. But now that you know the truth; will you continue to work as an ally to the Autobots?"

Stunned, Tessa croaked unintelligibly at the sudden address to herself. "I-I…I don't-I mean…" Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly for a few seconds, resembling a goldfish removed from its bowl; wide eyed and throat dry. She wiped her sweaty palms on the legs of her dirty jumpsuit and continued to stare blankly. For a moment Lennox and Epps looked at her, concerned about how she was handling it. Finally she sighed; taking in deep breathes through her nose before exhaling out of her mouth. She gripped the edges of her pants tightly and looked up at Optimus with exhausted eyes. It appeared as though she was going to handle the situation better than Lennox had expected.

"I will…"

Relief washed over the leader's face as he regarded her, but it was short lived when he realized that she had stumbled backwards momentarily before collapsing onto her back; sprawled out unceremoniously on the floor at Lennox's feet.

She had passed out. Okay…so maybe she _wasn't_ going to handle it better than he'd thought.

-0-0-0-0-

When she finally regained consciousness, Tessa noticed that a light was flitting over her closed eyelids; her pupils reacting to the light. When she opened them she saw the tall, fluorescent yellow robot that had once been the rescue Hummer she'd fixed. She would have screamed; but not only did she not have the energy, Lennox was holding her hand tightly.

"It's okay Tess. We're here and you're safe. Ratchet's scanned you to make sure you didn't break anything." He murmured, patting her hand reassuringly as he looked up at the Autobot tending to her.

Ratchet nodded in agreement. "That was quite a fall you took. Optimus was worried you might have harmed yourself."

The girl's amber eyes darted from Lennox to the robot, _Ratchet_, before narrowing in confusion. "What…what's an Optimus?" then all of a sudden, the memory came flooding back; her breathe catching in her throat. "Wait! That-The Peterbilt! It turned into a freaking giant! That…All that wasn't a dream?" she sat up in haste, but a massive steel finger hovered in front of her before she could swing her legs off the giant medical gurney.

"It's alright. Calm down." Ratchet stated calmly, "Your scans didn't show any signs of trauma; but you need to take it easy. I understand this is difficult to process. My name is Ratchet; I'm the Autobots' medic on the field. You could say you've become my…base replacement at N.E.S.T."

She lowered her gaze to the mechanical finger, and tentatively lifted her hand to touch it. The metal was surprisingly warm; _alive_ even. Her brain was awhirl with theories and engineering possibilities; trying to mechanically figure out how this robotic marvel could have possibly been achieved. If she was going to be around these _alien_ creations; she decided she might as well learn them inside out. "You…were the mechanic they wanted me to help…" she murmured thoughtfully, all the pieces finally clicking together within her mind; starting to make sense.

She turned to Lennox, who had now let go of her hand to let her deal with the information. He nodded with a smile, relieved that she had finally begun to process the whole situation; to understand that it was real. She clicked her tongue thoughtfully before speaking; the mechanical curiosity in her winning out over her fear of these new and unknown machines.

"I'd like to meet the rest of you." She stated, her nerves starting to steel a little more now that she'd gotten her episodic breakdown out of her system. Ratchet lowered his hand from her and gave a nod; an impressed smile on his face as he moved to help her down from the gurney.

"This way." He said, lifting her into his hand with a yelp from the girl, "My apologies. It's faster this way."

Tessa shook her head, still a little light-headed at the situation; before looking over the edge of Ratchet's hand to call out to Lennox. "If I get squashed and probed up the ass by giant alien cars Lennox; I'm holding you personally responsible!"

The Captain's laughter echoed after her as the yellow Hummer-bot took her to another section of the hangar; where she could see the other Autobots gathered. The congregation was intimidating; she would admit. But she wasn't going to back down. This was _her_ job, and she _wasn't_ going to let anyone make her run away; even if they _were_ 20 foot robots that could step on her without a second thought... _Oh boy I just got nervous again_, she thought hastily, her fingers digging a little deeper between Ratchet's finger plates for support. As if sensing her distress he raised his hand to his face, making her eye level with him.

"They aren't going to harm you. You have my word."

Her chest swelled with a certain relief; one that came from being reassured that your fears were noted and understood. She braced herself to try and stand as straight as she could when he approached his comrades. He gently placed her onto a large raised metal walkway; one that was clearly used for eye level communication. The robots all turned to face her; each one had a face so expressive that for a moment she almost forgot they were made of metal. As a silence set over them she coughed before scratching the back of her neck awkwardly; trying to think of something suitably intelligent to say.

"Hi..." She squeaked. _Oh very smooth Teresa. You're just the pinnacle of articulate society_, she thought bitterly, trying to come up with something better to iron out the situation. "Um…sorry that I…passed out."

"To be honest it wasn't really a big surprise; you wouldn't be the first." Laughed the silver robot, the one that she assumed had to be the Corvette Stingray she'd been polishing earlier that day. It still felt surreal to think that she'd been working on these vehicles only hours and days before this. The tall one who had introduced himself as Optimus Prime stepped forward and made eye contact with her. He had an air of modest leadership around him; like that of a king who did not acknowledge that he wore a crown. He made her feel like she wasn't some tiny little human in the middle of a robotic derby.

"I apologise that this has had to be so difficult for you to process. I would like to introduce you to my team; and answer any questions you most undoubtedly have." He stated, that baritone voice commanding the air itself to stop and listen. She nodded in response and he turned to his fellow robots, pointing one by one. "The Autobot who addressed you is Sideswipe; he excels in high speed combat. Over there are the twins; Mudflap and Skids. Constantly fighting between themselves, but they are skilled in tactical double teaming…when they stop bickering." The great metal giant placed a hand on his head in a motion similar to a face-palm; and the surprisingly human act made her glad to see they were really not so different. Then he continued, "Ironhide, you met briefly; my weapons specialist."

The black Autobot stepped a little closer with a smirk, "Want to see my cannons again, little Miss?" he chortled jokingly. However instead of freaking out Tessa smirked back, she knew his type; the sort of personality who appeared gruff and aggressive, with a mocking and sarcastic sense of humour. This time she knew how to handle him.

"Not unless you want more Skittles clogging your joints." She retorted, sounding a _hell_ of a lot more confident than she felt inside. However her reaction was rewarded with a bellowing laugh that resonated in her ears.

"Yep. I _definitely_ like this kid." He hollered, stepping back with another laugh to take his place beside Optimus.

The Prime gave a relieved sigh before moving on to the next member of his team; a small pink robot no taller than 9 feet. "This is Arcee, my tactical informant."

Tessa smiled; glad to see the team wasn't made up _entirely_ of men. "Must be hard..." she called down from the walkway, "…having to deal with so much male ego all the time."

To her relief, Arcee laughed at her comment; sounding like the echo of a mechanical bell. "You have no idea."

"Ratchet, you have met already. He's our field mechanic and our medical officer." Tessa smiled at the bright yellow bot, nodding her head towards him in the gesture of a thank you. After all; he had been the one to keep an eye on her after her ungraceful spill on the hangar floor. Just the memory of it was enough to make her face burn in embarrassment; she'd never been so uncivilized as to pass out in public company before. But then again…this was probably an exception to the rules. "And finally there's Jolt; my electrical specialist. He has a penchant for getting into trouble," Optimus shot him a playful warning look to which the blue robot shrugged, "but he's a fine combatant and can usually handle whatever mischief he attracts."

The blue robot that she recognised as the Chevrolet Volt she'd buffed and de-dented two weeks ago merely gave her a nod of acknowledgement and looked away. Tessa couldn't help but feel that he was wary of her. But she supposed it made sense; they were just as concerned about her as she had been about them. She turned to Optimus Prime with an attempt at a brave smile.

"This is still…freaking me out, I'll confess. But I appreciate…the introduction."

"Is there anything you would like to ask us? We do not wish to begin, as your race say; on the wrong foot." Optimus said, placing his hand on the railing and turning to view his team before looking back at her. To his surprise, she was shaking her head; a small smile on her face.

"Actually…I think I'll pick it up as things go…" she replied, leaning on the railing with her chin rested on her arms, "By the way…since you already have a name…does that mean I'm not allowed to refer to the Peterbilt as Chief anymore?"

Optimus gave a small, reverberating chuckle as he recalled her habit of talking to him in his truck form. She'd decided to call him Chief as a way of keeping herself sane while working on the vehicle. He'd never been given a nickname; and as far as he could tell, she'd done so for most of the other vehicles as well. He turned back to her with a thoughtful expression. "While Optimus Prime is, and always will be my name; if you wish to address me as the term you knew me by then I have no objection."

A grin split the girl's face a she stood up again, taking a good look at all of the Autobots; her mind still trying to wrap itself around the unfathomable idea that they were aliens…and the fact that she was currently _talking_ to them. Well, at least one thing was for certain.

Her job was never going to be boring…


	5. Live Wire

**Holy crapsticks I am on a ROLL lately XD**

**I have Chapter 5 ready for your enjoyment, and I hope you all like it. I've tried to find a way to give Tessa and Optimus some one-on-one time to get to know each other in this chapter; hopefully a little push to get them off in the right direction ey? *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* hehehe.**

**Anywho, please enjoy this; because Chapter 6 is right behind it. In fact it will probably also be uploaded tonight! **

**YAYZ FOR TEH FAST UPDATINGZ YESH PLZ? *throws confetti***

"Hold still."

It had taken all of a month for Tessa to be able to get used to having giant alien robots around. The first week had been the funniest for the Autobots; because Ironhide had gotten into the habit of coming up behind her when she was working. The first time he'd tapped her on the shoulder, she'd turned around forgetting that she shared her workplace with massive organic machines; much to Ironhide's amusement she had screamed like a banshee. However she was desensitized to their presence now; and despite the generally surreal feeling of the whole situation; she was more or less comfortable around them.

"I said hold _still_."

Within the last few months, Tessa had taken to working on the Autobots in their true forms; finding the work much more interesting than the usual cluster of vehicle engines she was used to. Sometimes there were injuries that had to be sorted in robot form; and other times they had to be cars for her to work on them. For the most part it was easy to forget that she was repairing a giant mechanical alien because to her it was just another jumble of parts she needed to map, organize and ultimately; understand. However it made it hard for her to concentrate when her _subject_ kept fidgeting under her hands.

"God _damn_ it, Sideswipe! If you keep squirming I'm going to slap you in the face with an industrial magnet! Stop _moving_!" she hissed as she raised the welder's mask to wipe the sweat off her forehead with her wrist; avoiding the heavy duty gloves on her hands. The silver Autobot she'd addressed laughed at her expense; and his hands rose in surrender.

"Sorry, gorgeous. You've just got such a magic touch."

Tessa snapped her eyes up to look at him as he gave her a mocking wink with his optics. She shot him a glare, but there was no serious animosity behind it and he knew it; the two always bantered with each other. "Stupid smart mouthed robot…" she smirked under her breathe; slapping the metal mask sheet back down over her face, "Just stop moving and let me finish." She waited for Sideswipe to place his head back down on the gurney and let her work. She had to re-weld some of his plate armour from a rather vicious attack by a Decepticon. She'd never seen one of these "enemies" that they hunted for, but judging by some of the injuries she'd had to fix; she was pretty sure she didn't _want_ to see one. Very carefully she guided the welding torch over the seams and cracks; the flame at its tip was blue from the intense heat. She wasn't particularly fond of welding, she was good at it; no question. But she disliked the fact that working with the flame made her so incredibly overheated; the sweat that beaded on the back of her neck was proof enough of that. After another good half hour with the tool, she gave the silver Autobot a thump on the leg.

"Okay, all done. That should tide you over until it regenerates itself. Just don't go doing anything _too_ strenuous to it alright?" she stated, tearing the welding mask off to escape the stifling restriction it provided before tossing it carelessly on her workbench. She rubbed the back of her neck to soothe the cramp, and pulled a disgusted face at the cold dampness of her hair. _Gross_, she thought.

Sideswipe sat up and swung his legs over the side of the work table, staring down at the little female. "And what if I _do_?" he teased, finding her expression totally amusing.

She looked up at him and replied without missing a beat, "Then you can ask Ratchet to fix you after ruining all my work. You _know_ what he'd do if I told him you didn't take it easy like I asked you to."

His face fell dejectedly at her words, "Damn. Okay, okay; you win. I'll be good." He stood up, ever so gently placing a hand on her head; the metal extremity nearly swallowing her beneath its sheer size. "Well, I'm gonna go for a drive." Tess shot him a motherly look, and he knew what she was implying. He raised his arms in his defence, "I'll do the speed limit! Well…_mostly_ the speed limit. Promise."

Her response was to scoff and shake her head, waving her hand at him. "Fine, just get out of my sight you demonic speed pest." She shot him a grin before pointing at him, "I'm not fixing you if you crash; I _mean_ it this time!"

Sideswipe transformed into the shining Corvette Stingray and wound down the window; his voice coming from the radio. "Sure thing, Angel; I absolutely _believe_ you this time, _really_ I do." He laughed as the sarcasm practically dripped from the comment. Tessa's eyes widened at his words before looking around for the nearest thing to throw at him.

"Why you smart assed-"

"Later babe!" he called, tires screeching as he revved the engine and took off; his laughter at her reaction echoing through the hangar. She felt her eye twitch irritably at the rapidly shrinking form of the Corvette; the cloth of her gloves rustling as she clenched her fist.

"Freakin' robots…" she hissed, unable to stay annoyed at her friend.

"Problem?"

Tessa turned her head to see Epps casually strolling up next to her, his eyes portraying amusement; he had a very good idea about what would have happened between her and Sideswipe. He was right too. "Oh just a certain robotic pain in the neck trying to smart ass my medical-mechanical opinion; nothing out of the ordinary." She smiled, pulling her hair from the tangled bun to shake it out. She ran her hands through the wavy, tangled mess before retying it and unzipping the jacket of her jumpsuit, "Sorry but I can't take this heat anymore." Came a frustrated huff as she shrugged off the top half of the suit and tied the arms around her waist like a jumper. Underneath the navy blue over-suit she wore a black cotton baby-tee, the slight lack of length at the bottom suggesting it had probably become too small for her. She wiped the remaining perspiration from her forehead before she began to fan herself with her hands This made Epps laugh.

"You hungry?" he asked, gesturing towards the exit, "I'm about to head to the cafeteria; we can go grab some lunch."

Tessa's face lit up, but before she could answer; her expression changed to a thoughtful one. Then she snapped her fingers as she remembered something. "Actually I can't. I asked to finish early today; I'm going to the hospital this afternoon."

Epps felt his heart drop to his stomach in worry, casting a quick glance over her to make sure she still looked like her usual self. "The hospital? Is something wrong?" To his surprise, she gave a laugh in response; having seen the instantly worried expression on her friend. Of _course_ he was going to think the worst, he was an army dog; worst case scenarios were what they planned for. She shook her head, motioning a "no" with her hands.

"No, no, no! I'm going to the hospital to visit my brother. His wife just had a baby a few days ago; I promised them I'd go and visit while they were still in the ward." She laughed, slapping him playfully on the shoulder, "So don't worry I'm not dying or anything."

Epps laughed with her, half from amusement and half from relief. Then his thoughts turned to what she'd just said. "Wait…a few days ago? When Monique had our kids she was out within about a day. Why is your sister-in-law still there?"

Tessa shrugged, "Emma had some complications. They had to give her a C-Section so she's still recovering. She should be out by this weekend at the latest." Epps nodded in response, and she continued as she remembered something, "Hey, since I'm still getting carpooled here I have no ride; do you know any good cab companies? I need to call up a taxi to take me to-"

Epps snorted with laughter. "A cab; from here? Tessa you do remember that this base is classified right?" the girl went red in the face from embarrassment as she realized her mistake.

"Well…I was going to wait out by the checkpoint. I knew they wouldn't want me to let-" Epps cut her off with a laugh, slapping a hand onto her shoulder as he looked down at her. "Just get one of the Autobots to take you. They can give you a lift; and provide a safety escort at the same time." he suggested, noticing the embarrassed scarlet that flushed her face. Both the boys at N.E.S.T and the Autobots had noticed that when she was reminded of something that slipped her mind; she blushed easily. It had become something of a running sport amongst the team; much to Tessa's chagrin.

"A…a safety escort? Why would I need that; I'm just the grease monkey?"

Epps noticed her worry, and decided not to let her stress about it. "Relax kid, it's just a precaution. Now; go and ask one of them to take you to the hospital; or I'll tell them you don't need the afternoon off." He smirked, shooting her a grin as he elbowed her gently in the shoulder. "Vamoose kid."

She gave a mocking huff before playfully punching him in the arm. "Alright fine, I'll see you tomorrow then. Take care!" and with that she jogged over to the exit, looking for the Autobots' reserved hangar where they spent their free time. Optimus was conversing with Lennox who was standing up on the raised metal walkway; they were both watching the computer screens as he typed. Tessa realized that they were probably trying to track Decepticons; they'd already discovered 2 since she'd been working there. It almost saddened her to know that Optimus hardly ever broke from his duty. He always had to be the leader.

In an instant, an idea popped into her head like a Skittle in a jar; bouncing back and forth off the glass just begging to be noticed. _Hell, it's worth a try_.

"Hey guys." She smiled, placing her hands on the stairwell rails and pulling herself up onto the metal contraption. Both males turned to see her making her way towards them and Tess half expected Lennox to shut down what they were working on; to her surprise though, he didn't. She didn't know whether this was a sign of trust, or that it was information she wouldn't understand. Instead she decided to ignore it; if they weren't going to say anything then she wasn't going to ask.

"Hey Tess." Lennox replied, giving her a small wave. "I thought you said you were going home early today?"

She nodded in response, her eyes scrunching up in the corners as she gave them a smile. "Yeah, I am. That's why I'm here, actually…" she turned to Optimus and leaned against the rail to talk to him, "Epps says I'm not allowed to call a cab to the site…for obvious reasons. He said I should take one of the Autobots. I wanted to check and make sure it was okay with you first." Crystal blue optics returned her gaze thoughtfully before looking over at his team; some were in robot form, others were resting as vehicles.

"What about Sideswipe? I'm sure he would be happy to go with you." He asked, trying to think of a suitable escort for the mechanic. But to his surprise Tessa scoffed.

"No, he's out being a speeding death demon; despite my telling him not to. I swear to God I fix that guy; and two hours later he's a wreck again!" she huffed, exhaling between her teeth in frustration. However despite the amount of times that she complained about the Corvette; they all knew that the two had become good friends. She ran a hand through her sweaty hair and looked back at the towering leader. _Here goes nothing_, she thought, "I was actually wondering if you could take me, Optimus." She waited a few seconds before delivering her reasoning, "I figured you could use break from all this."

Optimus seemed to give the notion some thought but shook his head regretfully. "Deceptions do not take breaks from their plans; therefore I must not break from mine." He said so with authority, but Tess wasn't convinced. He may have been made of tougher stuff than her, but underneath all that armour and metal; he was just as human as she was. She saw the weariness in the joints; the exhaustion that dimmed his optics when he thought nobody was looking. A sigh escaped the mechanic as she pulled her packet of Skittles out; and picked through until she found a lemon flavoured one. Instead of lifting it to her mouth, she leaned over the railing to get a closer target and threw it at Optimus; the hardened candy making an audible '_ping_' as it made contact with his helmet. He looked at her, confused at her actions; like he couldn't understand why she had just attacked him with food.

"As your mechanical doctor, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you that you need a break, Chief; and I would _like_ for you to come with me." Her heart raced at the fact that she'd pretty much just _scolded_ the leader of an alien race, a leader who could squash her for the insolence; were he so inclined.

Lennox laughed at her statement, trying to disguise it with a subtle cough. He turned to Optimus with a grin, "You hear that Optimus? I think the lady just gave you an order." He looked back at her with a smirk before Optimus answered.

"Where is it you need to go?" he asked, an almost teasing manner weighing in his tone, "Perhaps I should know before I agree."

She shot him a look, not knowing whether to be insulted or find it amusing; however being Tess being Tess, she decided to take it in good humour. She placed her hands on her hips, raising a teasing finger. "For your information, Optimus Prime; I need to go and visit my sister-in-law at the hospital. I have a new nephew who's waiting for me to say hello and I promised I'd be there."

The Prime pulled a thoughtful face before giving a defeated sigh. "Well, if a promise was made; then I can be responsible for one of my own breaking their word. Let's go."

He allowed himself to transform into the Peterbilt she constantly marvelled; the room filling with the mechanical noises she'd come to know well. Then she grinned at Lennox, bidding him goodbye before making her way down the stairs to the waiting vehicle. As she stepped closer to him, the driver door swung open for her to which she laughed, "Well now, how gentlemanly of you Optimus." However he obviously chose not to comment to the remark. Tessa could not wipe the grin off her face as she looked around the cabin; sure she'd worked on the truck many times, but she'd never actually _driven_ in it. "Okay, let's see what you got." She challenged cheekily. This time, the radio spark to life and Optimus Prime's voice rang through the surround sound. She could _hear_ the smart assed attitude in his voice, she just _knew_ she could!

"You're on."

Before she could place her hands on the steering wheel, a seatbelt was snapped across her chest as the metal stick to her right jolted into gear; the engine roaring aggressively as the vehicle began to move. Tessa, sitting indignantly in the front seat; was like a teenage girl in the high-school jock's hot rod. It was a surreal feeling, watching the steering wheel turn itself, seeing the gears changing without her needing to do so; she felt impolite and almost useless being in the driver's seat. Her fingers twitched, looking for something to do instead of just being dead weight; to which her eyes finally settled on the radio. She reached up and clicked on the dial; searching for something she could stand listening to. Then she remembered that although she was alone in the cabin of the truck, she wasn't exactly on her own. By all accounts, there were two people in the truck; figuratively speaking.

"Hey, Optimus?" she started, clicking the dial back off so as to ask the question without seeming presumptuous. "Do you mind if we listen to some music?"

The radio dial turned itself back on and adjusted to a station before the truck's voice came in over the top of the music; not quite drowning it out. A light-hearted and teasing tone was in his voice as he replied to her query. 'I don't mind at all. I must admit to having something playing while I'm driving, a guilty pleasure I suppose."

Tessa laughed, tucking her feet up to sit sideways on the seat as best she could with the seatbelt restricting her. "You and me both. Ever listened to Within Temptation?" There was a few seconds of silence before the speakers responded again.

"I can't say I have. Any requests?"

"You…you can get any of the songs? Right now?" she asked, stunned for a brief moment. He confirmed that he could; the answer making her smile widely. "Awesome! My very own free iTunes. There's a really good one that they have; it's called Angels, think you could find it?" To her delight, the song began to play on the surround sound stereo; her face lighting up with glee. The heavenly notes drifted through the car, and she began to sing along. Tessa was not a fantastic singer by any means, but she didn't care; in her opinion she figured that as long as she didn't break glass, she wasn't _that_ bad. The thing about her voice that bothered her most was the throaty rasp that underlay it; almost like someone with a sore throat.

Despite her feminine pitch, that edge to her voice had always provided an annoyance; mostly because it would crack when her she yelled at a certain octave, or tried to sing particular notes.

As the song came to a close and silence once again filled the truck, she sighed loudly; contentedly. Obviously Optimus mistook its meaning. "Is everything all right?"

Another sigh; more of an exhalation this time, "No, no. Everything's fine, that song just…inspires me." She leaned back on the seat and ran her thumb gently over the leaver upholstery, "I guess it makes me feel…kind of content, if that makes any sense." There was no reply. "Optimus?" she asked, sitting forward. She dragged her nails gently along the seat and heard a relaxed sigh come from the speakers; causing her to worry a little. "Chief? Are you okay?"

"My apologies. I was just…distracted." He said quickly, "Now where exactly are we heading? We'll need to make a turnoff soon."

Looking ahead Tess spotted the highway, a little into the distance. Looking down at her outfit she crinkled her nose; remembering that she'd been using a welder and was probably sweaty. "Actually, could we make a stop off at my house? I just need to have a quick shower and change my clothes. But only if that's okay?"

The speakers reverberated with a deep, rumbling laugh. "No trouble at all. If I recall, it was _you_ who ordered me out here."

Tessa flashed crimson and gave him the address.


	6. Tennessee Line

**TWO Chapters in ONE night? YEAH BABY! Hahaha.**

**This is sort of just an extension to Chapter 5, because they were originally going to be one chapter, but because I couldn't stop writing it got too out of hand and had to be split. **

**It's just a little bit of banter between Optimus and Tessa pretty much; with a little bit of fluff thrown in between. Oh and by the way: Tessa finally realizes that Optimus heard her "sexy truck" comment ;P so I hope everyone enjoys her reaction.**

**Anywho, I'm off to bed now considering it's midnight hahaha. FYI guys, I just ADORE waking up to lots of reviews *hint hint* XD**

**Ah but whatever, ENJOY AND GOODNIGHT!**

Tessa gave a loud, contended sigh as she leaned back in the driver's seat of the Peterbilt. Her hair was washed and piled up into its usual bun of wavy curls; and her skin had been scrubbed free of the sweat that had tainted it. Her fingernails, although they too had been thoroughly attacked with soap, still bore oil stains around the cuticle; a sign of her occupation that would probably never go away. She'd tried to dress presentably, but had done so quickly considering Optimus had been waiting parked in her driveway the whole time. She wore a pair of baggy, black cargo pants, a khaki polo shirt and a pair of less-than-new Converse sneakers; hopefully acceptable wear at the hospital.

"Feel better?" the radio teased, having heard her happy exhalation.

Tess didn't open her eyes just yet, enjoying the feeling of being clean. "Much. Thank you for the detour; I'm sorry I kept you waiting so long."

Optimus laughed in response, "It wasn't any trouble. I will admit I enjoyed the chance to just…stop."

Tessa's eyes slid open and she gently ran her hand over the dashboard, "I'm glad. You probably _need_ to take more time out for yourself every now and again." She noticed that as she traced her thumb gently across the dash, the radio clicked on and off briefly, but was forced to ignore it when he answered her statement.

"I am the leader. My men look to me for guidance; I cannot simply leave at a moment's notice for selfish reasons." He sounded, almost regretful at his own words. Tessa felt her heart ache at the thought; personally she was the sort of person who liked to take time out to breathe. It made things easier to deal with when she took a step back every once in a while.

"Then do me a favour, okay? Whenever you're feeling…like being a leader is too much to handle; let me know. We can just…take a drive. Nothing has to be said, I don't need to say anything; and you don't have to tell me what's on your mind. We'll just drive; and if I feel like you're not taking enough breathers, then by all Hell and Heaven I will _make_ you take one. Got it?"

He chuckled through the speakers. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but having her with him on the road was relaxing. There were so few people in his world that had treated him like anything other than the leader; the one who always had to have the answers. Tessa's lack of protocol could have quite easily offended another in his position; but Optimus found it refreshing. "Is that supposed to be another order?" he laughed.

"You're damn right, it is." She smirked, pulling a packet of Skittles from her bag. The canvas duffel bag she'd picked up from her house had several gifts in it for her brother, his wife, and the new baby boy; but there was also a surprise in there for her niece Lucy. A brand new teddy bear that she'd purchased from a "bear hospital" where all the money went to a children's charity.

"Why do you consume those so frequently?" he asked, easily able to see her pop a few of the multi-coloured chews into her mouth. She smirked and deliberately exaggerated the action, just to annoy him, "I never see you without them."

Tessa grinned at him. "I dunno it's something I've always done; I guess it's become more of a habit than anything else now. But my brothers and I used to save up pocket money when we were kids, and buy them from the grocery store near our house. Maybe it's a way of keeping a piece of that with me…or something. Besides, they make good projectiles to throw at certain Autobots. " She teased with a shrug before tossing a red one into the air, catching it in her mouth with a proud smirk.

The radio was silent for a moment…then, "Tell me about them."

"What Skittles?" grinning she lowered her voice to a whispered, "You can taste the rainbow!"

He chuckled at her silliness, obviously having scanned the internet for what advertisement the line was from. "No, your family; you seem fond of them."

She had to laugh at him. "Well, they're my family; I would _hope_ that I was fond of them." She giggled, moving to sit cross-legged on the seat; the belt across her chest slightly restricting the action, "Let's see…there's me; I'm the youngest of three kids. My brothers are Aaron and Riley; Riley's the oldest. Aaron is a truck driver, ironically enough; so we don't get to see him very often. He'd love you; he's a real connoisseur when it comes to trucks."

"Is he the reason you were able to acknowledge the "sexual appeal" of a Peterbilt?" Optimus teased.

"Yeah, well I…wait…what?" she stopped mid-sentence; suddenly remembering the moment to which he was referring. Her face flushed so red that she looked the same shade as her Skittles packaging. "Oh my Holy God!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands over her face in horror, "You…you _heard_ that? I-I'm sorry! I didn't think that-"

"Tessa." He cut in, a smile evident in his voice as he tried to appease her, "Never apologize for what you think. If it makes you feel any better; I was quite flattered." Her face flushed all over again at the comment, unable to hide her total and utter embarrassment. "Might I add that in terms of returning the compliment; I would probably imply something similar about you."

Tessa felt her gut plummet to the floor. Was he…_flirting_ with her? Oh God that was so _awkward_! Endearing and undoubtedly sweet; but in the wake of her own embarrassment…definitely awkward. She had to say something to smooth out the situation. "Well, then I guess that makes us even…"

He laughed over the speakers, "Of course. Now tell me…what about your other brother?"

"Oh, Riley?" Tessa leapt at the opportunity to change the direction of conversation; not for a second doubting that he'd done it deliberately. Hell, she wasn't going to argue. "Well, he's the one I'm going to see. His wife, Emma, is the one who's had the baby. They've already got a little girl, Lucy; she's five years old. Oh she's gorgeous; you'd adore her. They live not far from the hospital actually."

"What about your creators?"

She pulled a confused face. "Creators?" then she paused as realization hit her, "Oh! You mean my parents? They divorced when my brothers were in high school."

"Divorced?" he sounded almost…confused at the word. Tessa deciding that they must have used different customs or words for it where he was from; she kept forgetting that he was an alien.

"Yeah, divorced; like…separated. They were married; but over time they realized they didn't love each other anymore. It was complicated I guess."

She heard a perturbed "hmm…" from the radio before Optimus spoke again. "That makes no sense to me. Spark mates are Spark mates; they do not simply "fall out of love" as you do here."

It was Tessa's turn to be confused now. "Spark mates? Is that…your planet's version of a life partner?"

"Yes. On Cybertron our race paired for life. There is a special connection that can only be made once; a bond that joins two Sparks, or _hearts_ as you would call them in your world, together for the rest of existence. If one dies, the bond remains tied to that one Spark; the living mate will never again love another as they love their First."

"So…one partner for life, right?" she asked, leaning back into the seat with a distant smile, "That's so romantic… Things are different here. Humans are _usually_ monogamous by nature, not all, but most. They try to stay together; but a lot of the time differences get in the way and sometimes the later relationships are the more successful ones. But in my parents case…they're long past it; they're still friends." A sudden ringing broke the gentle conversation, the sound of Riley's ringtone splitting the air with heavy metal music. "Oh. That's my brother, he's probably wondering where I am. Do you…mind if I connect it to Bluetooth?"

"Not at all. Hands free is safer when you're driving." Came the response, Tessa having to stifle a laugh at his suggestion of her being the driver. She hadn't touched the damn wheel since they'd left the base. She pulled out the Bluetooth cord, plugged it into the designated space on the dashboard and answered the call.

"Hey Riles." She answered, "I'm on my way! How's Emma? Is Lucy handling it alright?"

"_Whoa, whoa! Slow down Terry! Everyone is fine._" Her eldest sibling's voice came out of the speakers around her, causing her to frown at his choice of nickname.

"I've told you before Riley; don't call me that."

"_What? Teeerrrrrrrrrrryyyyy?_" he teased.

Tess made a noise that could probably have been something akin to a growl, before crossing her arms childishly and sinking back into the leather seating. "Whatever, I'm choosing to ignore the fact that you're an irritating twit purely out of love and sympathy for my new nephew. I'm on my way now; should be there in about 10 to 15 minutes."

"_Are you taking a taxi?_"

She scoffed. "Nope; I'm borrowing a vehicle from work. Practically got a mind of its own. You could say it's a real…beast." Tess patted the seat gently in a teasing gesture to Optimus. To her surprise, the truck deliberately revved a little louder; the massive monster engine echoing in her ears. "Show off…" she whispered teasingly.

"_Oh wow, I can hear it!_" Riley laughed, "_Anyway I'm actually calling on Lucy's behalf. She wants to talk to you before you get here; she's really excited to see you._"

"I've always got time for my Lulu-Belle." She grinned, sitting forward in the seat almost excitedly. Optimus didn't miss the way her attitude changed when the little girl's voice came though his speakers.

"_Hi Aunt Tessie!_" the high pitched voice gushed into the phone at the other end.

"Hey there, my gorgeous!"

"_Guess what, guess what! Mommy had a baby! He's really little and cute, and the nurses let me hold him because I'm a big girl!_" To Tessa's surprise, she heard a faint chuckle in the background of the speakers; and she was almost _positive_ that it Optimus' voice. However she ignored him to answer the little girl on the other end.

"You sure are! I'm gonna be the soon to see him, and you'll have to show me how to hold him properly okay?" she smiled, her hand clasped over her heart to contain the warmth that she felt for the little girl that she loved so much.

"_Yeah! I will!_" there was a conversation on the other end of the line that was too muffled for Tess to make out, but judging by the lack of depth in the voice; she assumed it was Emma talking to Lucy, and her nieces next words confirmed her suspicion. "_I have to say bye now, because Mommy says you're not allowed to drive with phones._"

Tess smirked at the thought. Not only at the way Emma had just had a baby and was still as sensible as ever, but the fact that she wasn't actually _driving_ right now. But she laughed and returned the conversation. "Mommy's right. Driving with a phone is dangerous, so don't you ever do it okay?"

"_Okay Aunt Tessie! I promise! See you soon, kay?_"

"Absolutely baby, I'll see you in a few minutes. Love you."

"_Love you too! Bye!_"

As the call ended and Tess removed the Bluetooth cord, she heard Optimus chuckle at her again very briefly. "What? Something funny?"

"No, it's just interesting to see the variety of ways your race reacts to one another." He stated, the radio playing low volume music in the background. Tess tensed her fingers a little on the leather seating at his words.

"What do you mean?"

"Your presence changed when you spoke with the child. Much more…_readable_ I suppose the word would be; not that you aren't easy to read already."

She couldn't help but turn her gaze to the floor of the cabin; dropping her voice to the petty little mumble of a child who was in trouble. "I didn't think I was _that_ obvious to read…" she muttered, gently tracing abstract shapes into the seating, her fingers sliding almost fleetingly along the grooves and shapes of the upholstery. Optimus' voice hitched over the radio again.

"I didn't mean it in the way you think. I simply meant that you are…_honest_; clear in your intentions and direct with your opinions. I hope the way I phrased it did not imply that it was a bad thing. I find it an admirable trait." She ran her thumb and forefinger along the embroidered edge of the leather seating, trying to will away the blush that had risen in her cheeks. Once _again_ she noticed the glitch over the radio, but this time instead of discussing something else, Optimus addressed it. "You know, I _can_ feel you doing that…" he stated, an almost awkward tone underlying his voice.

"Huh?" she asked, letting go of the seat. "Feel wha…feel…Oh…_Oh_!" she clasped her hands over her mouth in shock, remembering with sudden clarity what she had been doing to the fine leather all through the trip. "Oh my God, not again! Optimus, I'm sorry! Fuck, you must think I got you out here just to _molest_ you or something!" To her surprise a heavy, baritone laugh ripped through the surround sound system, causing her blush to deepen all the more.

"It's alright. If I had to compare the feeling for you, it's similar to someone touching the skin; nothing more. It's not offensive; quite the opposite. However when I'm driving it is quite…_distracting_…" he replied, a smirk evident in his voice. Tessa however, was far from relieved. She had shoved her fingers into her hair and pulled at the copper brown locks in frustration.

"I swear I'm going to Hell for my obliviousness."

Optimus just laughed at her. "Don't worry; I won't turn you in." this earned a smile from her, however bashfully uncomfortable she was. Instead she just sighed and let her shoulders drop; deciding that nothing was going to reduce her embarrassment at this point. "We're almost at the hospital." He chuckled.

-0-0-0-0-

The sun was long set by the time Tessa exited the hospital, her face glowing happily from having seen those she loved. She approached the blue and red Peterbilt that she had been forced to park in the centre of four parking bay due to its sheer size. In fact, as she sauntered towards it she had to laugh at the fact. She patted the driver's side door before it swung open to let her in; she was still giggling when she climbed up into the driver's seat. The radio crackled to life at a low volume and the Autobot's voice aired itself. "Something funny?"

Tess snorted as if he'd said the most hilarious joke in the world; her mood was incredibly giddy after meeting her new nephew. "Your fat butt is taking up four parking spaces." She snickered, patting him on the dashboard. "You should join Jenny Craig…"

Taking her jab in good humour he simply retorted, "You were the one who asked me to come here with you. And proceeded to make me wait in these four parking spaces for quite a few hours." He had meant nothing by the remark, simply trying to jibe her back as she had done to him; but to his dismay she thought that he was angry with her. Her eyes widened and she gasped in surprise.

"No, no! Optimus I didn't mean anything by it, I'm so sorry; I was joking with you!"

"So was I." he explained with a chuckle, turning on the heater vents as the exited the lot; heading for the highway. He felt her shiver against him, trying to tuck herself into the seat for warmth. "If you lift the passenger side seat, there should be a blanket in there."

She followed his instruction and a massive smile split her features as she pulled it from its hiding place. She threw it around her and snuggled into its warmth against the seat. "Thank you." She said calmly, a certain sleepiness currently numbing her. The two drove in a companionable silence for most of the way back down the Highway. Optimus played some music for her, and occasionally she would ask for something in particular; or ask him to play her something that _he_ enjoyed. It wasn't until they pulled up in Tessa's driveway that he realised she had fallen asleep. He felt bad at having to wake her, but he couldn't transform with her inside the cabin; not without harming her. Feeling cruel for doing so, he blasted the heater in the cabin so high that the noise jolted her away.

"Dammit! Don't touch my pickles!" she screeched, flailing her arms around her defensively for a brief moment before realising where she was, "Oh…oops. Did I…fall asleep?"

Tessa heard his voice float up from the radio. "Sorry. I didn't want to wake you but we're at your home." He flashed his high beams momentarily to show her the house in front of them. The girl had closed her eyes again and was fumbling around in the front seat for her much-emptier-than-earlier canvas bag. She slung it over her shoulder and jumped down from the cabin before realizing that she still had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. "Oh. I forgot." She murmured sleepily, moving to take it off. Optimus, however; stopped her by gently bumping the truck door into her shoulder.

"Keep it. I can get a new one. You go inside."

She looked up at the cabin, the door still open. "Okay." She gently closed the door and started to leave, but she turned back and delicately placed a hand on the polished wheel rim. "Hey listen," she murmured, "thanks for coming with me today…I had a nice time."

"So did I." he replied, the voice now seeming to come from the truck itself; not just the radio.

Tessa smiled at his comment, gently patting the finely tended metal over the wheel. "I'm glad. You looked like you needed it. And listen… the next time you're…feeling lost…?"

"We will go for a drive."

Tess leaned her head against the rim and closed her eyes briefly with a sleepy, semi-conscious smile, "Then it's a date." She whispered before pushing herself back onto her own two legs and patting the truck gently. "I'll see you tomorrow, Chief." And with that she started to walk back to her house.

"Remember to lock the door behind you." He called after her, knowing that in her half asleep state she could easily skip the important step. She gave him a soft smile as she looked back at him.

"I will, thanks. Good night."

"Goodnight."

She shoved open her frustratingly jammed door, stepped through and gave him a small, sleepy wave before shutting the door again; the lock clearly bolting. Optimus waited for a few minutes, just watching the lights in her house move from room to room; indicating where she was. It wasn't until all the lights had finally gone out, that he restarted the engine and headed back to N.E.S.T with a peaceful feeling in the pit of his Spark.

If the Peterbilt could have smiled, it probably would have…


	7. The Approaching Curve

**This is probably full of grammar mistakes, but I'll fix them later…I'm too tired right now…**

**We're **_**FINALLY**_** getting to the beginning of Revenge of The Fallen! I'm going to try and make this story a take on the movies, from Tessa's side of the war; a relatively innocent third party who just happens to be tied to those involved.**

**Anyway, as usual everybody; let me know what you think.**

**Love you all 3**

"Shanghai? Really?" Tess exclaimed, scratching her ear nervously; a plastic fork twirling in the opposite hand, "I mean…how many Decepticons is that now?"

Lennox, who was sitting across the cafeteria table from her; gave a sigh and shook his head. He placed a hand to his temple and tried to will away the stress headache that he felt coming on. "This will be the 6th one in the last 8 months; N.E.S.T has already taken out 2 since you started working here…although the first one you weren't in on." He said, trying to make light of the bad news by laughing at the last sentence. Tessa smiled back at him sympathetically.

"Yeah, no kidding; I got to work and was told that the cars had been shipped to Tennessee on short notice. When they told me they'd be back in a few days and that I just had to work on some of the military trucks instead; I was ready to knock heads…but I knew there was something weird about this place from the beginning; I just had no idea you were all _this_ weird!" She laughed, using her fork to poke at the remains of her leftovers. She didn't usually buy food from the mess hall, she could make better food using a packet of Skittles and a tin of bag of rice in fact it wouldn't have surprised Lennox if she'd actually tried. Today her meal was lasagne she had made from the previous night. She'd brought in extra for Epps and Lennox, knowing that they very rarely provided themselves with healthy food; not that her addiction to Skittles was really that much better.

"I was surprised you were patient for as long as you were; most other people would've died to know N.E.S.T's secret." He laughed, cutting a piece of his food with the fork before stuffing it into his mouth; revelling in the taste of red wine she'd used to cook it.

Tessa shrugged in response before pushing her plastic food container away from her. "It wasn't my secret to know. Hell, it's not like I don't have a few of my own; who doesn't, right?"

_This_ got Lennox's attention, a mischievous look glimmering in his eyes as he looked up at her. "Oh really? Like what?" he asked, not bothering to swallow his food before doing so; he was an army bred male after all.

She smirked and crossed her arms over the table in front of her; leaning on them so that she could lower her voice to a whisper and still be heard. Still munching his lasagne Lennox leaned in eagerly; intrigued by her mannerisms, but instead of spilling the beans… "If I tell you; I have to kill you." She grinned. Lennox choked down his food and practically roared in amusement, a belly laugh rattling his form. Tessa had used the N.E.S.T motto to retaliate to his prying; a witty and amusing move on her part.

"Okay, okay; I get it. But damn girly, now you've got me curious. You have secrets in that greasy little head of yours?" he chuckled, watching slide out from the cafeteria table and toss the plastic container into the trash bin. She wiped her nose with her thumb before giving him a grin; her expression teasing.

"I do; ones that your mere _mortal_ brain could never comprehend." She laughed wistfully before walking past him towards the exit, slapping him on the shoulder, "I'll be in the Autobots' hangar; Ratchet wanted me to help him fix Ironhide's photon cannon once I was done with lunch. Come find me when they give you more information about the Shanghai mission, okay? You guys don't get to leave without saying goodbye."

He patted her hand firmly as he nodded; not wanting to turn away from his lasagne. "Will do."

With that sorted, she headed out the door and across the base. The sun was bright, and as always the weather was warm in the remote desert-like location. Tess had to raise her hand to provide protection from the light and for a moment; she wished she'd invested in some sunglasses. Her heavy footfalls were drowned out by the accompanying noise on site; the trucks, the wind and not to mention the large cargo aircrafts that were coming in to land. _Probably for the Shanghai operation_… she thought vacantly to herself, tucking her hands into the pocket of her baggy jumpsuit; her hands balled into loose fists.

She approached the hangar and opened the massive door just a crack to let herself in; closing it behind her. The fluorescents in the roof gave the hangar a sort of bluish light, contrasting to the golden sunlight outside. From experience with the Autobots, she knew that they generally preferred to be out of the general eye of the soldiers; she supposed it made them feel like they were on display. She'd never have expected her world would turn out like it had; but now that they were a part of her life she couldn't imagine not having them in it.

"Hey Ratch!" she called, picking up into a slow jog as she approached the medic. He turned to address her, his arms crossed seriously.

"You're late." He said to her, motioning for Ironhide to climb onto the giant gurney.

"Sorry _Dad_, but actually I'm not. You said after lunch; never specified a time." She retorted, a grin slapped across her face as she teased the neon yellow mech. He gave an amused sigh before gesturing to the black weapons specialist on the table.

"Today I mostly want you to observe. You've never done work with photon cannons before, and I don't want you biting off more than you can chew. You'll be a backup in this procedure, should I need assistance."

Tess nodded understandingly, feeling her brain set into "information mode" in preparation for the new knowledge. "Yeah, I know the drill. Watch and learn; ask if I don't get it." She explained, picking her notebook up off the table beside the gurney she used to write down what she observed. If there was one thing she admired about the Autobots, it was that they gave her so much to _learn_. She'd never been much of an academic in high school, in fact she flunked most of her classes based on a short attention span and a complete lack of interest; but she was _far_ from stupid. Numbers were the easiest for her, engines just made sense to here and technology seemed to jump out at her in a way that was simple; hardly a challenge. Her mother had constantly told her that she had the mind of an artist; the desire to turn the old and everyday into something inventive and revolutionary. That being said though, Tessa had never exactly been _artistic_. The only thing she could draw was an engine plan; the only music she could play was a pre-school equivalent of "Hot Cross Buns" on a recorder and the only form of painting she had ever done was airbrushing a car or pin-striping a decal.

She watched Ratchet with fascination, taking in the smallest details; every angle of the weapon he was repairing. She wanted to learn it from the inside out; asking Ratchet countless questions and even offering to help with what she could. Tessa had made an effort to get to know each of the Autobots, and had taken close note of their different personalities. She got on with Ratchet well on a professional level more than the others; because of their shared custody in the role of mechanic. However unlike Tess, he was more than capable of defending himself in battle; providing a much more useful field medic than she could have been.

As she overlooked Ratchet's workings on the cannon, Ironhide lifted his head to face her, his eyes narrowed in mocking humour. "Take good note, Squishy; can't have you messing it up later down the track."

Tessa snorted; now more than acquainted with the way he worked, both mentally and physically. "Don't worry Ironhide. I'll only mess it up a _little_ bit. Possibly on purpose…" she smiled warmly as he laughed at her, then Ratchet proceeded to thump him in the head, an annoyed look on his face.

"Some of us are trying to work here." He muttered with a voice serious as he tried to rewire something within the arm of the cannon.

Tess pulled a guilty face, placing a hand on the yellow bot's calf armour. "Sorry Ratchet. I didn't mean to distract you." She gently patted her hand against the metal before moving back over to Ironhide; punching against the metal of his chest plates. "That was _your_ fault, smartass. Stop being annoying; I know that's harder for you than it sounds" She smirked, trying to ignore the throbbing in her knuckles at having physically struck a metal surface. Ironhide just took it upon himself to laugh at her.

The three of them settled into a relatively comfortable silence after that; a silence that was occasionally broken by the little female's questions about the weapon. When she did this, it was just as likely for Ironhide to answer and it was for Ratchet because both of them knew the photon cannon like the back of their hands; their very mechanical and _complex_ hands.

Once the job was done, and Tessa had finalised her notes; she turned to take in the rest of the company in the hangar. Arcee was circling laps at the very far end of the massive space; dodging and weaving between obstacles in an attempt to practice her agility. Sideswipe was, not to Tessa's surprise, watching the large flat screen that had been installed on the wall. She half expected him to be scanning the news for Decepticon information but on closer inspection it turned out he was watching Jerry Springer; the silver bot roaring with laughter at the pathetic antics of some of America's _worst_ stereotypical representations. _Typical_, she thought with an inward sigh. The twins were beating each other up in a corner; but that was nothing new. If anything, it reminded her of when she was young, constantly getting into fights with her brothers. But Hell…what were brothers for if not annoying the youngest sibling? Jolt had apparently gone out for a drive to test the suspension job that Tessa had done; and although she tried to ignore it, she got the nagging feeling that he still didn't trust her all that much. Not a sense of dislike…just wariness.

Her gaze followed the direction of the room to the metal walkways in its centre. That was when she noticed Optimus standing in the middle of them talking to Epps and Lennox. She hadn't even seen them come in; probably the fault of her lack of peripheral vision when she was working. Turning to Ratchet and Ironhide she gave them a grin, "I'll catch you guys later; I need to go talk to Lennox."

"Lennox…or _Optimus_?" Ironhide teased, causing Tessa to make a choking sound at the accusation.

"What the _hell_ Ironhide! What's that supposed to mean?" she squeaked, more than a little miffed that an assumption would be so easily made of her. She didn't appreciate being accused of underhanded white lies, no matter _how_ innocent; if she'd only been going to see Optimus she would have told them just that. The black mech just shrugged with a laugh.

"Oh nothing. You just always seem so ready to converse with him, that's all." He explained, trying to keep the smirk out of his voice and failing. Tessa's demeanour changed from one of annoyance, to one of mocking. She decided to play at his own game; she'd discovered it was one of the only ways to deal with Ironhide.

"Aw…What's wrong? Are you jealous that Optimus provides more intelligent conversation than you do?"

To her utter glee she noticed that a faint discolouration of neon blue appeared on the facial plates where his cheeks were; an effect similar to when super-heated metal would turn red. Was that an Autobot equivalent to a _blush_? Her face broke out into a grin at the thought. _Ha! Gotcha, Hide!_ "Guess that'll teach you to try and make fun of me, big guy." She snickered before patting him playfully on the leg and turning to leave. "Later Ratchet!"

"See you." He smiled, clearly glad that Ironhide had been bumped down a notch; because as she walked away she heard him scold the black Autobot, "Serves you right, you know."

She snickered to herself as she hauled her way up the metal framed stairwell. "Lennox!" she called, giving him a wave as she approached, "Hey Epps; what's up?" she shot him a grin before turning back to the Captain, "So…what did you hear about Shanghai? What's going to happen with the Autobots?"

He cast a glance to Epps and Optimus before turning to activate the screen of the computer behind him. A few maps came up with some different coloured markers on them, and a lot of other stuff she didn't understand appeared on screen. However Lennox knew she couldn't read it, and explained it to her.

"These," he said, pointing to the yellow dots around the city of Shanghai, "are our drop points. Most of our men will be in the helicopters, going in teams; but the Autobots are going to be airdropped over the area because they need the element of surprise."

Tessa nodded, more than a little relieved to have things dumbed down for her; after all by all accounts she was just a civilian. "How are you going to stop them from hurting people? Decepticons I mean," she explained quickly, turning to Optimus to address him, "obviously I don't mean _you_ guys." She gave a laugh as she saw the vents on the Prime's facial plates tilted in response to a smile. She turned back to Lennox as he elaborated further.

"Well, usually the N.E.S.T Command; their the big guys, they'll feed the officials an excuse as to why we need to be there; and that country's government will evacuate the area for us so that we're clear to hunt the Decepticons. That way the city civilians won't get caught in the cross-fire."

"Our enemy does not hold human life in as high a regard as we do, if at all." Optimus explained, causing Tessa to turn around and face him as he spoke, "Decepticons wish only to destroy…so that they might gain." The seriousness in his voice implied that he was clearly speaking from experience; and the very idea that he had seen so much evil made her heart heavy with sympathy.

"That's awful…" she murmured, leaning over the railing to shoot him an empathetic look. It had been a week good weeks since their road trip to see Tessa's family; their platonic respect for one another having grown a little at the chance to get to know each other. She respected him so much more as a leader, having seen a tiny fragment of how his mind worked; and he had gained some insight as to the sort of person he was entrusting his team's well-being to. If nothing else, the only thing that had really changed between them is that there was by far less wariness between them; like that of acquaintances who had converged the barrier to become friends. And aside from the absolute _field day_ that Sideswipe had about Optimus taking her home, life went on as normal.

"So…when will you be leaving? Have they told you?" she asked, her eyes flitting between Epps, Optimus and Lennox rapidly; waiting to see who would respond. Epps gave a tired sigh and rubbed his face with his hand.

"Tonight." He said with a mumble, clearly not looking forward to it.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Seriously? So soon, why?"

Lennox was the one to respond to her this time. "Shanghai is a long flight. They want to prepare this afternoon. Hopefully then we'll be able to mount the assault by tomorrow night, Shanghai time. Optimus has already briefed the Autobots via the Com-Link, and with everything going well; the unit should be ready to leave by about 2100 hours, that's 9:00pm to you." Tessa, who already knew what the Autobots' Com-Link was due to having fixed Sideswipes bout a billion times; just shook her head.

"Wow. That's pretty soon." Then she looked up at the three males surrounding her; suddenly serious, "So you guys are going to need a mechanic on standby, right? Are you taking me with you to-?"

"Certainly _not_!" Optimus barked. The unexpected volume and _anger_ in his voice caused Tess to have a mild heart attack; her hands frantically gripping the rails of the walkway as she stared up at him like a deer in headlights. Clearing his audio passage with something akin to a cough, he lowered his voice to a gentle tone. "You need to remember Tessa, you can't _fight_. These missions are dangerous even to Autobots; let alone a human with no experience in this war. I can't afford to have you injured during a battle; it would leave us without our mechanic. Ratchet can take care of us on the field; but your job is to stay where you are safe." He placed a finger on the railing beside her in an attempt to redeem himself after his outburst, her shoulder gently brushing against the metal of his fingertip.

With an understanding smile she looked up at him, her initial expression of terror having disappeared. "Okay, Chief; I understand." She turned back to Lennox and Epps, "I have to go and check up on some of the helicopters for the operation; I'll see you guys out on the tarmac _before_ you leave, okay?"

The two soldiers laughed and agreed, knowing full well that if they didn't; she wasn't going to let them leave without saying goodbye anyway. As she spun on the heel of her boot to leave, she absently placed a hand over Optimus' finger before running it back down along the railing to guide herself down the stairs towards the exit.

It was roughly about 8:45 at night when they appeared on the large tarmac. It was lit with floodlights and there were engines roaring in every direction. Tess had done double the inspection on the crafts; wanting to be absolutely certain that her friends would get back without any problems. She felt that if she couldn't help them to _fight_, then the least she could do was provide them a safe way home. The Autobots were in their vehicle forms; most likely because they were much easier to fit into an aircraft than a million foot high Rock-Em-Sock-Em Robot. She had to laugh at the comparison. Who'd have thought that she'd be dealing with her own life sized robot toys at _her_ age?

As Lennox, Epps and the bots approached her she felt her heart seize up at the realization that they were going into dangerous territory; with the possibility that not all of them would make it back. Just the thought was enough to make her pull the two men into a tight hug, the both of them surprised at the gesture.

"Tessa, what are you-"

"-Don't any of you die out there." She exclaimed before turning to face Optimus and his team, "I _mean_ it, Robots! If any of you get hurt out there I'll redesign you all into garbage trucks! Got it?"

To her relief, the Peterbilt flashed its high beams at her for a brief second before turning off again; proof that the "driver" had heard her. She turned and bid goodbye to Lennox and Epps before they went to their chopper; then she stood watching as the Autobots rolled slowly onto the biggest aircraft. As each of them passed her in their vehicle form, the touched their frames gently with her hand; reminding them that she was there and waiting for them to come back. Then the massive ramp to their transport lifted up into a closed position. The helicopters and planes all started up; the wind from the propellers snagging her hair out of his messy do and whipping it into her face. However Tessa ignored it as she watched them leave; the military transport crafts carrying her friends into their warzone. She clasped a clenched fist over her heart and smiled.

"Come back safely…" she whispered.


	8. Author's Note

**No guys, this is not another chapter yet; I'm not that fast GOSH hahahaha.**

**I just wanted to use this to reply to a review that wasn't a Log In.**

**Shadow Seeker****: First of all thank you **_**so much**_** for taking the time to review, I **_**truly**_** do appreciate constructive criticism. I can probably understand your annoyance at the mention of so many Skittles, and calling it a fetish isn't the worst way of saying so; because I want to stress to you that it is actually supposed to be something akin to an addiction. Sugar addiction chemically affects the body like a drug.**

**It's meant to be a part of her childhood that she never let go, something that she is fond of and can't seem to kick. I can assure you that the Skittles will be less frequent as the story starts to get serious; I'm just trying to establish who she is; bearing in mind that the story is supposed to be mildly **_**humorous**_**.**

**The reason she is so "childish and immature" at this point in the story is because I want there to be a visible change where the readers can see her **_**grow**_** as a character; at a point when she realises that the Autobot/Decepticon war is so much more serious than the thought. She will have to step up and take it head on; she will become more mature as the storyline progresses, I promise you.**

**Lastly I must admit that this piece of your review did bother me a little: **_**"What brother calls his sister "gorgeous" as a greeting? Sounds like incest."**_

**Incest? No. The idea is that they love each other and are part of a tight-knit family. I would imagine many families to be similar, I know that my elder cousins call me gorgeous, or beautiful; as a nickname, and I refer to my sister as gorgeous all the time; because she's beautiful and I love her. The term is **_**not**_** used in a sexual or inappropriate manner; it's just a form of affection and I will admit that I find the remark a little offensive. **

**Anyhow…I hope the reasons behind Tessa's personality traits/flaws are understandable enough to you now. I hope you enjoy the future chapters, but if you don't agree, and still dislike the way I am writing it; then you need only stop reading.**

**Thank you again for the constructive criticism; I appreciate you voicing your concerns because it gives me a chance to clear them up.**

**Regards,**

**UlurNaga**


	9. The Closest Thing To Closure

**Forgive any grammar errors you may find in here; I am VERY tired right now hahaha.**

**I will confess this chapter is what I suppose you could call "angsty" to some degree. But it's not how I intend for it to be read; it's more an in depth look at the fact that although Tessa is a fairly light-hearted character, she fears very deeply for the dangers that the N.E.S.T team face. And in this chapter those fears sort of get the better of her.**

**Oh and by the way, the Knight Rider reference is intentional.**

**Peter Cullen; who you all know as the **_**genius**_** behind Optimus' magnificently sexy voice, did the voice of KARR in the Knight Rider series; so I wanted to pay that a little homage.**

**I hope you enjoy this, guys :)**

_Well…now what?_

A deep, almost forlorn sigh escaped Tess as she stood looking at her house. The military hummer had already driven away leaving her walking up her driveway to her house clutching her duffel bag in one hand, and a half-eaten cheeseburger in the other. Despite the late hour, the woman who had driven her home; one of the computer analysts in N.E.S.T's strike planning team, had taken her to McDonalds on the way. Tessa smiled at the memory of the woman's parking job; having taken up an entire curb with the oversized vehicle so that they could order their greasy junk food.

However as Tessa entered her house and threw the keys on the kitchen counter; the food felt heavy in her stomach, and the leftovers in her hand were suddenly unappealing. The worry she was feeling for her friends was weighing on her mind; a reality that hit her harder than it should have. She wasn't from a military background, and neither did she really fathom the dangers that Lennox's team; but she knew that they were there. She wished there was something she could do to help them but Optimus was right. She would be nothing on the battlefield but another defenceless bystander; someone _else_ that they had to protect.

She didn't want that.

Giving the remains of her food a disgusted look she tossed it into the trash before pulling out the carton of guava juice; shaking it to check the amount of content left. She sighed and kicked the refrigerator door closed behind her before flopping down onto the couch; not even bothering to change out of her work gear. The remote was sitting on the sofa where she had last tossed it, so instead of wallowing in her own thoughts she switched on the television; having to quickly turn the volume down from its previously loud setting. Fatigue was weighing down her muscles, but she ignored it; instead flipping stations until she could find something she liked as she took a swig from the juice carton.

"No, no, no…_definitely_ no." she quickly changed from the channel currently airing and episode of Grey's Anatomy. She had nothing against the show _per se_, it was just the medical side of it that grossed her out; something her family had always found amusing about her. She could work in and on the entire guts of an engine, but as soon as there was a broken bone or a person throwing up; she folded. Machines were her thing; the human body, however, was just…_weird_ to her. Deciding against watching anything on TV, she instead rummaged through her DVD shelving for a good movie; something to distract her from the things she couldn't stand to think.

"This'll do." She muttered to herself, smiling as she pulled out a DVD season of Knight Rider; one of her closet favourites. Her brothers loved to tease her about having hunted down a copy of such an "out-dated" television series, but she remembered having watched it one day while she'd been home sick from school. She'd had a minor soft spot for the show ever since. However if she'd been hoping for a distraction from her friends' absence; she was sorely disappointed.

As the episode "KITT vs KARR" started to play she settled down into her couch to unwind, pulling her hair from the tie at the top of her head; letting her knotted hair fall onto the backrest of the sofa. She sat happily for a few minutes, just losing herself in the poxy, endearing old TV series.

Then, the character of KARR spoke just as she took another sip of juice; and she nearly has to spit it back out in shock. She could have sworn that it sounded just like _Optimus_! She stopped and rewound the scene a few times, listening to the vehicle's voice; before bursting out laughing. It sounded a _lot_ like him. She had to pause the DVD to have a good laugh at the idea of an 80's series bearing a resemblance to a robotic alien leader; and then gave a sigh at the reminder.

That robotic alien leader, along with his loyal team and two of the bravest men she knew were currently in Shanghai with a N.E.S.T strike team; facing dangers she could probably never even dream of. She had never really been in any sort of danger at any point in her life; aside from the everyday ones that working with heavy machinery posed. To think that they risked their lives and that the world didn't even _know_ of their existence saddened her a little; the idea that if they were to sacrifice themselves then nobody would know, or care.

No…that was a lie; because _she_ would care…

Suddenly Tessa felt a violent chill shoot up her spine, goose bumps pebbling on her bare arms. Although whether it was from her previous thoughts or that there may have been a draught in the old house; she wasn't sure. Instead she decided to haul herself up off the couch and get changed for bed. She couldn't sit around thinking about them; it made her feel so useless staying back at Diego Garcia like some patient little civilian. She switched off the television and went to put the carton of drink back into the door of the refrigerator; turning off the light as she left the room. Her bedroom was just down the hall, the double bed to her left appearing very warm and inviting at the present time. She rummaged through her top drawers to find some bedclothes to wear; eventually settling for a pair dark blue flannel pyjama pants and an oversized grey t-shirt that her father had given her last Christmas.

Then she clicked the light switch off and made her way over to her bed; pulling the covers back before sinking into the sheets. She tucked the end of the comforter underneath her feet, and rolled side-to-side to that it would wrap around her entirely before she curled up into a ball; cocooning herself in its layers of warmth. Her mind was still reeling in possibilities and situations that the strike team were facing, and she attempted to switch her brain off; willing away the fantasies she did not wish to indulge. It was an exhausting exercise in and of itself, but eventually sleep came to her; dragging her away from the thoughts only to turn them into nightmares.

"_Hello?" _

_Tessa was standing alone, surrounded by nothing but blackness. It engulfed her, swallowing her. It was beneath her feet, above her head; the tendrils of darkness seeming to wrap itself over her limbs in an attempt to drag her into the abyss. _

"_Is anybody out there?" she screamed, cupping her hands over her mouth in an attempt to amplify her calls. The only thing that answered was her own voice's empty echo. Her chest was weighed down by a terrifying sense of foreboding; a feeling that even though she was alone in the blackness, there was someone of ill intent watching her. It was pressing on her lungs, making it difficult to breathe at all. She clutched her chest in agony, her heart hammering before an awful spinning feeling gripped her; destroying all orientation. When she "came to" she was sitting in the cabin of a four-door truck, speeding down what appeared to be a highway. It appeared to be night time; although it may have just been the constant foreshadowing of the blackness she'd seen before. Clenching her fingers to the upholstery, she could _feel_ the material beneath her hands._

_There were flames being passed by in the truck, which she now recognised to be a Topkick; it was Ironhide. The flames where coming off of pieces of burning wreckage, machines; then she realised that they were _body parts_, mechanical body parts! Strewn amongst them were the bloody, burning bodies of soldiers, but she had no time or chance to identify them; the visions were moving too fast.  
>"What's going on?" she shrieked, "Ironhide what's happening?"<em>

_A loud click could be heard over the speakers, and to her surprise it was not Ironhide's voice; but Ratchet's. "Fall back, Ironhide! We can't win this fight! There are too many!"_

_Ironhide responded, his voice frightening in its fury, "Where are all our men? N.E.S.T isn't strong enough!" he growled back furiously. Tessa's hands gripped her hair in terror; she didn't understand what was going on, why were they on the Highway? How had this massacre happened?_

"_Where is Lennox? You guys are supposed to be in Shanghai!" she tried to yell, her voice feeling hoarse from trying to yell over the explosions. But they didn't acknowledge her, they weren't _acknowledging_ her! Her throat burned from screaming and her eyes were searing with tears._

"_Tell Prime the situation! We need support! Sideswipe, DO YOU READ?" Ironhide yelled into his Com-Link before Lennox responded. Lennox shouldn't have been on the Com-Link, she realized; he wasn't an Autobot! What was happening?_

"_Sideswipe is down! Everyone's gone! Optimus is dead!"_

_Tessa felt as if her head was going to split open from her lack of air, and she screamed again; beating Ironhide's steering wheel to make him _hear_ her! "WHY CAN'T YOU __HEAR__ ME? WHAT'S GOING ON?" she screeched._

_All of a sudden Ratchet's face appeared before her; which didn't make any _sense_ because she was driving inside Ironhide! None of it was right! Ratchet opened his eyes and seemed to address her, "You were useless in this."_

"_No!" she begged, her fingers tangled in her hair; nails digging viciously into her scalp as she closed her eyes and __screamed__. "I don't understand what's going on!" When she opened her eyes, she was no longer sitting in the Topkick; she was standing in the N.E.S.T base with the burning bodies of soldiers and robots alike. Her heart rose into her throat as she panicked, turning in every direction only to see everything _burning_ around her. Then she saw the two bodies, practically side by side on the tarmac where she'd last bid them goodbye, of Epps and Lennox. They were covered in blood and Tess could make out every detail on their faces, hear every gasping breathe that they took. _

"_No! Oh please, God don't let this be real!" she shrieked in disbelief. She tried to run to them, but she never got any closer; she was almost running in place. "No, no, no!" she sobbed, tears burning trails of searing hot anguish down her face as she wrapped her arms around herself, cradling her own shaking form._

"_Tessa." Came a mangled, mechanically distorted whispered._

_Her eyes flew open at the sound of Optimus' voice, as choke escaping her as she realized her was now laying in front of her. Her horror grew. "This doesn't make any SENSE!" she cried, "I don't understand! What-what is this?" she dropped to her knees, trying frantically to wipe the blood that was for some reason coming from Optimus. His body was twisted and mangled; everything was wrong! She cried as he growled in something between rage and agony before he looks at her with those intensely blue fibre-optic eyes before he opened his mouth to speak._

"_We failed."_

"NO!" Tess screamed, wrenching herself into a sitting position as her hands frantically grabbed at her throat, her arms, anything she could to make sure she was awake; that she was real. She took in sharp, almost choking breathes as she wrapped her arms around her stomach, rocked herself back and forth on the bed and _cried_. Tears burned down her cheeks as she gave a strangled gasp that turned into a wail. The dream still clung to her, threatening to drag her back into the horrors of her subconsciousness; into the darkness her mind had created. "Oh God…" she whispered, repeating the words over and over under her breathe in an attempt to calm herself. All she could think about was praying that they were all safe; that the things she'd seen in her nightmare just figments of her imagination. The thought of them failing in their mission was just…

_God_ she didn't even want to _think_ about it!

Taking a few more deep breathes, she pulled herself out of her bed and stood in front of her dresser mirror; her fingers gripping the sides so hard that her knuckles turned white. That was when she noticed the red marks on her fingertips; and the stinging on her scalp. Looking at her fingernails, she then pressed the pads of her fingers to the sore area of her head; cringing when she saw a tiny speckling of blood. Her death grip on her scalp hadn't just been part of the dream…

A terrifying chill set over her, her fingers shaking from the anxiety of the vivid dream; her tears turning cold on her cheeks. Wiping them away, she took in a few deep breathes before looking at herself in the mirror; deciding on her next course of action. Reaching into the bottom drawer she pulled out the blanket she had borrowed from the cabin in Optimus Prime's Peterbilt mode. Wrapping the thick grey fabric around her form she just held her arms around herself for a moment, before bunching it up tight around her shoulders and taking in a deep breathe.

It smelt like metal and leather, like new car interior and…_masculinity_. In an instant she felt her heart beginning to slow down, and the chill dissipating with the warmth of the fabric. Yes…_this_ was her connection to them, no matter how small it seemed; and she would take comfort in it. She hugged it to her body and slowly made her way back over to her bed, tucking herself under the covers without removing Optimus' blanket from around her. The dream haunted her still, and she feared going back to sleep; but she was already tired and her eyes prickled from the tears that had dried there. Wrapping the fabric tightly against her she took in the smell as she closed her eyes and let it take her away from the world. The familiar, comforting scent of the blanket reminding her that her nightmares were not real, and that they would all come back to her.

She promised herself that if the nightmare returned tonight, she would fight it for all she was worth…


	10. Never Too Late

**W00t! I CAN HAZ CHAPTER UPDATEZ TIEM YESH PLZ? Hahaha. This one took a little bit longer to pump out because it was a difficult chapter to write; due to the conflicting natures of the situations in it.**

**Although Tessa is usually a fairly comedic and soft-hearted character, I wanted to show how she would react to the feeling of loss that would have surrounded the otherwise happy return of the Autobots and Lennox's team. Think about it, they're soldiers. Men DIED in Shanghai. **

**PLEASE guys I beg you, don't flame me telling me "OMG TESSA'S GONE ALL ANGSTY WHAT A FUCKING MARY-SUE!1!" because I can assure you that she isn't turning into an angsty character. I personally feel that everyone has their stressed, or darker moments in their lives; Hell I know I do! Lol.**

**But I want to stress to you that one of Tessa's characteristics is that she experiences extreme empathy; meaning that she can understand what others are feeling and will often impose the same feelings upon herself. **

**While sometimes it can make her a wonderful support for others, at the same time it is a flaw because she quite deeply feels pain. And before the flamers start on this chapter; THINK ABOUT IT; Tess is not from a military background! She's imagining what the situation would feel like if it were one of her own family on the line. I mean in all seriousness, how would **_**YOU**_** have reacted?**

**So it's a serious chapter, with a few light-hearted moments in it this time. **

**I sincerely hope you all enjoy it.**

**xx**

The following two nights were not _quite_ so harsh on Tessa's dreams, but the worrying thoughts she had during her waking hours were not all that much better. It frazzled her nerves and caused breaks in her concentration; hell even working on the Valiant in her garage had provided her with very little relief. She hadn't heard from Lennox or Epps, but that wasn't surprising; she wasn't on the "need to know" report-back-to list. But still…her lack of insight stressed her all the more.

Luckily for her though, fate decided that the waiting had finally ended and she could at last stop tearing out her hair in frustration. Graham, an officer of N.E.S.T with an adorable English accent, had received word that the strike team were on their way home; and duly delivered the information to her. He laughed at her when her eyes lit up, and her jaw fell open in shock and relief.

"Are…they all okay?" she had asked, sounding almost afraid of what the answer might be. Evidently that hit a nerve because Graham's face dropped as he sighed heavily and clenched his fists as he answered; his voice holding a sad tone beneath it.

"They lost some good men out there…" he murmured with distant eyes before putting a hand on her back and giving her a soft, reassuring smile, "But Lennox, Epps and all of the Autobots are safe. They'll be here soon; so you can stop worrying."

Tessa felt her heart ache at the thought of the loss to Lennox's team. Men whose families would now have to bury the body of someone they loved, and in some cases; some who had no body at all… She almost wanted to cry at the thought; imagining what it would have been like to have to sacrifice her father, or one of her brothers. Her heart went out to those who had been lost in this secret war. She gave a heavy exhalation and look up at the Englishman with a conflicted smile; one that didn't know whether to be relieved because those she knew were safe, or saddened for the people that had been lost. "Thank you for telling me, Graham. I…need to do some work…or something…" she gently touched his shoulder in a brief gesture of mutual support before making her way over to one of the hangar's edges where her work bench was.

Pulling up her stool to the bench space, she picked up the piece she had been working on; a prototype for what she believed could be used as an electrical shock cannon, something similar to the effects of a Taser but _bigger_. There were cords, metal and pieces of copper wiring strewn through and around it; making the entire contraption look more like a Doom's Day device than anything else. The knowledge that the Autobots and the remainder of Lennox's team were coming home did a wonder to calm her mind…the work was so much easier knowing that they were safe. All her life her emotional magnitude had quite often a source of frustration for Tessa, because she felt things so _deeply_; throwing the all of herself into matters of the heart. Throughout her high school years this had often led to it being broken easily, but looking back she took it as a learning curve; believing that she had grown because of it. Her parents had always said she'd have been better off marrying a car of some kind; because she'd have understood it better; a sort of in-house family joke. The thought made her smile.

As her hands began to tinker with the mechanical device, her brain started to follow suit; the physics and science of the machinery beginning to map themselves out in her mind. It was not without relief that she felt the familiar pull of becoming lost in her work, she zoned out almost completely when she was working on something; especially with technology that was as fascinating as the kind Ratchet taught her. There was so much that she had learned from him in the span of only a few months, not only since she'd known about their secret; but even when she'd been oblivious to their existence. The Hummer she'd fixed within her first few months had been unique in all sorts of ways; like how the metal had seemed to exude its own warmth, or the way the vehicles always felt like they were watching what she did. Now that she knew why, it all made sense; but her first few months in the dark had kept her up at night wondering what secret it was they were hiding.

A giggle escaped her without her knowledge as her thoughts turned to the funny conversation that she and the Autobot medic had once had about her aversion to the practice of human medicine, and anyone currently watching her working would've thought she was going loopy. Ratchet's reaction to her complete and utter disgust had been one of mocking amusement.

"_I don't understand, what is so unappealing about repairing a human compared to repairing a machine?" he asked her, overseeing her attempts at fusing engine pieces together to resemble Cybertronian mechanisms. She turned back to him with a scrunched up nose, her tongue sticking out as she did so._

"_Bleagh. Because the human body is complicated and gross! Did you know our skin flakes off at a microscopic level? Our bones are hardened on the outside with marrow on the inside; which is apparently supposed to feel like sponges." She visibly cringed as a shudder rippled through her spine, "Not to mention the fact that there's blood being pumped through our bodies like some sort of liquid-filled squeaky toy; and don't even get me __started__ on boogers!"_

_The mech gave a hearty chuckle before stopping her hands by blocking her work with one of his fingers, "Correct that, you need to allow the Energon to have a free flow course. What you're doing at the moment will bottleneck it." He then retracted his hand from where he was pointing and watched her for a second. To his surprise, she took a long look at the section before nodding understandingly; she'd realized her error quicker than he'd have expected for a human. She detached the faulty piece so that she could rearrange it before turning to him with a smile._

"_Thanks."_

_She fixed the problem, and picked up the spiral-bound notebook she kept on her when working with him. It was something he had to admit he'd been impressed to see. She didn't leave anything to chance; she wrote down every observation and technique before moving onto the next so that she would forget nothing. Good observation was the mark of a good scientist, despite her constant "I'm a mechanic not a science nerd" protests that she tried to rebut him with. He handed her another tool before pressing on in his conversation, an uncharacteristic streak of mischief sparking in him as he decided to make her cringe again._

"_So, you don't find it fascinating when the human body is forced to do what its original design was not intended for? Like say; a forearm bone detaching from the joint by being bent backwards, or how easily flesh seems able to be unwillingly taken from the body; or a tendon in the ankle being-"_

"_STOP! STOP! Shit Ratchet, __no more__!" she hissed, dropping the screwdriver onto the floor with a loud clatter as she tried to cover her ears; attempting to block him out. "It's gross! I can't stand squishy body talk, and the thought of how much disgusting _blood_ is inside it!" she lowered her hands and turned to shoot him a look as she knelt down to pick up the discarded tool. To her surprise the robot pulled a confused face. He found human physics completely __fascinating__; a race of people that were so weak physically, but so complex to learn. He'd have thought that machinery and humans weren't really so different in such a manner, but here Tess was; clearly opposed to the nature of her own kind if not practically repulsed by the biology of it._

"_And yet, you haven't any qualms about being covered in grease, or transmission fluid…or even __oil__ for that matter? You are a strange specimen of your race…" he placed his hand on his chin as he mumbled to himself, trying to comprehend it. "You have more fondness for the mechanics of a vehicle…than the mechanics of your own kind?"_

_She shrugged nonchalantly as she returned to work, grinning as she replied to his remarks. "What can I say, Ratch? I was born to love machines."_

"Aircraft is grounding! Clear the area!" a loud yell came from out on the tarmac, snapping Tessa out of her revere at its abruptness. She shot her gaze up to the clock above her work station and nearly choked on her own breathe when she realized that she had been working for over an hour. _Damned one track mind_, she thought to herself.

There was a _lot_ of commotion going on as Tessa approached the open landing space, people rushing to move out of the way; vehicles getting transported and the sound of the craft approaching the ground soon drowned out all other noise. When it touched down Tessa couldn't help but feel relieved; knowing that they were finally back at N.E.S.T where they belonged. She clung to a stack of hard cased luggage containers as she watched the plane's ramp lower to reveal the strike team. They walked down the metal sheeting in a communal group; one of them ducking in between them on what appeared to be an altered version of a quad bike. They were carrying their rifles, their army greens clothed them and their boots thumped heavily onto metal ramping. All in all, if she'd had to describe what they looked like; she'd have been able to call them nothing short of _majestic_. Her skin prickled at the sight of them, and she felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the outline of Optimus appearing between the soldiers.

They headed forward with stern, war hardened expressions on their faces, but when she made eye contact with Epps and Lennox, they each gave her some semblance of a smile. She looked around at the other aircrafts expectantly, seeing the rest of the Autobots being unloaded onto the tarmac. She was partially hidden by the luggage when Optimus passed by her, so she doubted he saw her; but she saw him. It was satisfaction enough to know that he was safe; his paint having hardly a scratch on it. Then she heard the base's speakers crackle to life. "_Autobot Twins, report to Hangar Three._" That was when she remembered seeing the two small cars that had transported there the day before.

_Of course_, she thought, suddenly feeling stupid at her naivety. _I didn't even realize…that they were for Mudflap and Skids_…

As she headed for the main hangar, she saw that Optimus was already driving in with Sideswipe and Arcee trailing closely behind. To her left, Ironhide and Ratchet were queued behind one another and upon seeing them she ran to the two Autobots. Not bothering to warn them, she approached Ironhide and rubbed the hood of the Topkick, patting it lightly with her hand. "It's good to have you home." She said, hoping he could hear her over all the commotion going on around them. When she felt the truck jolt forward a little bit, she knew he was trying to stir her up. "Yeah, I missed you too." She laughed to herself and looked over at Ratchet, jogging to stand next to him; she walked alongside him as he rolled slowly towards the hangar that the others where congregating in. "I hope you guys are okay…Graham told me they lost some men out there..."

The Hummer's headlights flickered at her briefly before speeding up a little, the window winding down so that she could hear his radio. "It's a consolation to return to a place where everyone is safe." He replied. Tessa gave a nod, hoping that he could see her doing so.

"You have no idea…" she muttered. "I'm going to go and greet the others. You guys…were really missed…" a smile painted itself onto her features as Ratchet acknowledged this and told her to go see the others, his window winding back up of its own accord; something about the Autobots that _still_ creeped her out. She took off in a jog towards the interior of the hangar; ignoring the bustle of N.E.S.T operatives that were crowded in it. It appeared that all of them were excited to have their greatest assets back where they were safe.

Personally Tessa couldn't really blame them.

As she approached the area where the Autobots were, she first came into contact with Arcee;

placing a hand gently on the body of the motorcycle. "Hey, Cee. It's good to have you home." She smiled.

The holographic woman on the bike turned to face her and without her expression changing or any facial movement whatsoever she replied, "Thank you Tess. It's good to _be_ back. How did everything go here?"

_Horrible!_ Tessa's mind shrieked, _Awful, terrible, and I'll never live long enough to forget the __nightmares_! However she gave Arcee a grin and patted the metal of the cycle once more, "Everything was fine, I got heaps of work done." She replied. _Liar_…

"Good to hear." Arcee chuckled. Tess was still weirded out by the fact that the holograph on the motorbike didn't actually _move_ her mouth to speak, but the figure itself made her wonder; could _all_ of the Autobots do that? Project an image within or of themselves?

"What about me?" Sideswipe whined from his radio as he reversed up to the two females.

Tess gave him a grin, "Yeah? What _about_ you, huh?" she teased, crossing her arms mockingly.

There was a mechanical whining noise that came from the car; the sound of a power down, or a cry. "I'm so gutted! You didn't miss me?" he complained jokingly.

He half expected her to come back with something like "didn't even notice you were gone," or "you kidding? I enjoyed the peace and quiet" but what he _didn't_ expect was to have her walk around to his front and drop her top half onto his hood; her arms outstretched. Then he realized, she was _hugging_ the Corvette.

"I missed _all_ of you, Sideswipe. I was worried." She muttered against the hood. He could feel the vibrations from her chest as she spoke, and he couldn't help but laugh at her bizarre behaviour. It wasn't uncommon for her to graze the vehicles with gently touches, reassuring pats on the bodywork, and even every now and again she would sit and talk with them while she rewired someone's interior; but she'd never actually attempted to _hug_ any of them before.

"What did you have to be worried about? I was too quick for that rank amateur Decepticon." He laughed, "Wasn't even a challenge."

She laughed in response and lifted herself up off the hood, patting it gently as she got back onto her feet. "I'm glad, then." She smiled at him, "Hope you didn't undo any of my good work on that welding."

She laughed at his sputtered defences about how amazing a high-speed driver he was, before he drove forward a little and bumped into her; laughing as she squealed in surprise. "Have you seen any of the others yet?" he asked her.

She shook her head, "I saw the twins head off to Hangar Three, so I didn't get much of a chance to talk to them, but I did see Ironhide and Ratch. I was on my way to say hello to Chief and the guys when I saw you and Arcee; I said hi to her, so thought I might as well take pity on you and tell you I missed you." She retorted with a giggle. Sideswipe's infectious laugh could be heard from his stereo.

"Oh Dark Mistress, these cruel words you strike through my heart!"

"You don't have a heart." She rebutted quickly, a grin creeping itself onto her face against her will; she could never be annoyed at Sideswipe, he was just too charming for his own good. If anything, he reminded her of Aaron; just a little more…_mechanical_. Sideswipe laughed again at her comment, and then as she turned around to walk in front of him he nudged her again.

"Go on kid, scat." He chided good naturedly.

She shot him a grin before turning to head towards the walkway where Optimus, Lennox and Epps were; the Captain was informing his men of their next course of action with regards the funerals they now had to plan. All of them looked relieved to have made it home, but saddened that there were others who hadn't been so lucky.

Tessa didn't interrupt him; she respected that it had to have been a conflicting emotion to have both saved _and_ lost lives. She approached quietly, walking beside Optimus as she gently touched a hand to the paint work before pulling herself up onto the side step of the cabin; sticking her head in the open passenger's window.

"Welcome home, Chief. Mind if I…sit with you?" she asked, her hand gently tapping on the windowsill.

She heard a familiar baritone chuckle come from the radio and she probably would never have admitted it out loud; but it made her feel safer just by listening to it. "Climb down for a moment." He replied.

Confused, she did so and was pleased to see the door open itself as she stepped back. Gripping the handle she climbed in and shut the door solidly behind her to settle herself in the passenger seat; she could see Lennox's team a few yards in front and decided that if she was going to have to wait to speak with him and Epps she may has well spend some time with the leader of the Autobots. She didn't think twice about the fact that just _being_ around him seemed to make her feel warmer; fuller…

"I heard you lost some men out there…" she started quietly, resting a hand on the steering wheel languidly. The cabin was silent for a minute, obviously he was remembering things that she knew she would never see; nor would she wish to.

Then, there was a heavy sigh that came from the speakers. "Yes… unfortunately in a war such as this, a safe return is often overshadowed by the loss of those we call our comrades."

There was a brief silence between the two; a heavy silence that marked their respects to those that had been lost. Tess hadn't known them, but they had been human beings with families and dreams; things that because of a few Decepticons they would never achieve now. She exhaled a heavy breathe before gently running her hand over the leather seating; an attempt to comfort him.

"I understand that nothing I say is going to… _diminish_ the loss of the people who died, but if…" she paused, trying to think how best to word it, "…if it's any consolation, Optimus… I _missed_ you."

He started to say something briefly, but stopped silent for a minute. For a moment she feared she'd overstepped a line, but instead she heard him reply to her; a gentle tone inflicting his voice. "Thank you…" he murmured quietly, "How…did you handle things while we were gone?"

Tessa felt her heart clench in the memory of the nightmare she'd had the first night; and for a brief second she feared that her mind would force her to relive it, so she quickly answered before it could do just that, "It was fine. Everything was…just…uh…fine." She forced a smile into her sentence, cringing at her inability to come up with anything more articulate.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice exuding a concerned tone as he addressed her.

She stiffened rigidly against the seat; hoping to Hell that he didn't notice. Needless to say, it was a _vain_ hope… "What do you mean "what happened"? I told you, everything was fine." She twisted her fingers into the pocket of her jumpsuit in an attempt to distract herself.

"Tess. You are a terrible liar."

"Wh-what? How did you…?"

Optimus gave a genuine laugh at her expense before he answered her. "Your heart beats faster for just a moment when you lie. I felt it." She felt her face flush all the way to her ears at that comment; she'd _always_ been a terrible liar, but most people had the social courtesy to ignore it and allow her to martyr herself. It made sense of course, that Optimus wouldn't have been accustomed with those particular social graces.

"You can really…feel something that small…?" she exclaimed, shooting her hand up to clasp it over her eyes in disbelief, "Mother of machines, Optimus…is there anything you _don't_ do?"

He made a noise that sounded like a smirk, but otherwise ignored her comment to repeat his initial question, "Well, what happened?"

An uncomfortable feeling settled itself in her chest; in the space just underneath her heart. The nightmare was playing in her head; each vicious detail ingraining itself in her memory. Tess didn't want any of them to know about it; to know just how much it had scared her. They were all so powerful, so _strong_; even Lennox and Epps had done things that most men only dreamed of. She had been given the privilege of working with them despite her lack of military experience or knowledge of protocol. She didn't want to be the damsel in distress among those who inspired her so powerfully. After all, it was just a _dream_; they were home now and they were safe. That was all that mattered.

She _would not_ be the weak link.

"Tessa?" Optimus' voice echoed into her thoughts, causing her to shake her head in order to try and re-centre herself. _No_, she decided to herself finally; her fists clenching tightly, _they can't ever know_.

"Sorry…I was daydreaming." She murmured. She knew he would be able to catch her lie easily, so she didn't bother to hide it; instead she lifted her arms onto the steering wheel, resting her head onto the centre of it with a sigh. "If it's alright Optimus…I'd rather not…I'm glad that you're all safe…can we just…leave it at that, please?"

A sigh was his response. "Would you like to go for a drive instead?"

She smiled at the idea. It wasn't that it wasn't appealing; it was more the fact that they had a send-off of dead soldiers to honour and she wouldn't be the one to stop it. "That sounds…wonderful. But there are men who Lennox and Epps are going to have to say goodbye to…and I don't want to leave them to do it alone." Raising her head she gave him her usual grin as she patted the steering wheel reassuringly, "Don't worry about it, okay? It was nothing, really!" She saw Lennox salute his men and as they began to disperse, Epps approached him. Seeing an opening; she decided to take the opportunity to escape from the situation. "I think they're done talking; I'm gonna go and see how they're doing. Thanks…for the talk, Chief." She ran her hand gently over the steering wheel and turned to climb out of the cabin.

"Tess…" he murmured after a brief pause, causing her to stop and look at the radio in confusion, "I want you to remember what you once said to me." The radio clicked on and she heard what was clearly a recording of her own voice; a piece of their previous conversation during their trip to the hospital several weeks ago, "_We can just…take a drive. Nothing has to be said, I don't need to say anything; and you don't have to tell me what's on your mind. We'll just drive…_" it was surreal hearing her own voice coming from the speakers, but she had no time to dwell on it because Optimus spoke once more, "I would like you to know that I am capable of extending the same courtesy, should you wish to take me up on it."

A strange feeling of warmth crept its way into Tessa's heart, before spreading like liquid through her entire body. It was a warm, fuzzy sensation that lingered just beneath the surface of her skin; and she smiled brightly at the remark. He was looking out for her as she was for him. "I appreciate that." She whispered. Her fingers lingered on the handle for a few seconds longer than they would have normally done, before opening the passenger side door and climbing down. She shut the door firmly behind her and headed over to where her friends were talking; their expressions one of clear mourning. She approached them with an empathetic look on her own face, their pain influencing her own. They looked up and she noticed that they tried to hide their distress for her sake.

"Hey Tessa, good to see you." Lennox said; the smile on his face not reaching his eyes, the orbs appearing tired and drained.

Epps didn't look much better as he clapped her on the shoulder to greet her, "Hey there grease monkey. You keep things running smoothly while we were gone?"

She sighed heavily as she ran a hand through her hair to try and detangle the stress within her own nerves. "You guys don't have to pretend. Ratchet told me that you…lost people; in Shanghai." To her surprise, that was all it took. The masks faded away almost immediately; they knew that she was aware of the situation and there was no need for them to put on a façade because she was a civilian. Their pain was not miniscule. They had lost friends, brothers-in-arms; they had lost their _comrades_ out there. She wanted them to see that they didn't have to be strong to save face in front of her.

As she looked up at them, a vision flashed in the back of her mind; a memory that had left her choked for breathe and frightened to sleep;_ she saw the two bodies, practically side by side on the tarmac where she'd last bid them goodbye, of Epps and Lennox. They were covered in blood and Tess could make out every detail on their faces, hear every gasping breathe that they took._ Her blood chilled at the thought and her eyes visibly widened in shock; something that her two friends noticed.

"Tess?" Epps started, turning his body to face her straight on.

Lennox reached out a hand towards her in worry, "Are you-?" She cut them off with the only form of support she felt she could give them; hoping to quell her own distress at the same time.

She wrapped her arms around the two of them and _hugged_ them.

There were no words exchanged between the three of them, none of them knew what to say. Tessa had never dealt with a fear of loss like this before; the chance that maybe the ones you cared about wouldn't come back. In situations such as this, she had spent her life being far more sheltered than these brave men. Compared to the things they had seen; she was nothing but a scared little child hiding behind her mother's leg. She hoped against hope that her small, considerably pitiful gesture of support could give them some semblance of comfort. She wanted them to see that she was there for them; and that they were safe now. As she held the two soldiers in the tight, innocent embrace; she felt her own dread finally, _finally_ start to slip away.

It was a long while before she let them go.


	11. Firefly

**Hi guuuyyysss :)**

**Again, I apologise in advance for any grammatical errors; I tend to only write when I'm sleep deprived hahaha.**

**Basically this is the first really "Linear" chapter, because it goes along with dialogue from the movie. I apologise if it get a little boring when Galloway show up, but let's face it; Galloway's an ass. ****He's no fun to write!**** (**_**unless he's getting a smack in the face**_**)**

**So as always everybody, I would love to know the highlights/lowlights of the chapter. **

**What made you laugh? What made you sad, or angry? What made you cringe in disgust maybe? Ahahaha**

**Good night kiddies, I'm off to sleepies. Love you all much!**

The ceremony that N.E.S.T held for the lost soldiers was a heart wrenching one.

For all her support and well wishes, Tessa knew that this was not her place. She did not stand in the congregation of soldiers; because she was not a soldier herself. However she did catch gaze with both Lennox and Epps throughout the ordeal, and each time she gave them a tiny smile by tilting up the corners of her mouth; _I'm here_, it said, _and I'm in this with you_.

She stood a small distance away with the Autobots, watching the entire ceremony with a hand over her heart. The soldiers saluted, some of them cried; and others wore expressions of battle hardened warriors, men who had long been desensitized to such carnage. She wished with all her heart that nobody would ever have to know such pains as theirs. A sigh escaped her, the sound shuddering with her attempts to hold back her tears; and she lowered her hand from her chest to wrap her arms around herself. She could only imagine how hard the send-off was for the soldiers who had fought alongside the victims.

To the left of her sat Ironhide, Arcee and Sideswipe, on her left was Arcee and the twins; Optimus Prime was parked behind her. All of them were in their vehicle forms, and none of them said a word; not even Mudflap and Skids broke the silence. What Tessa didn't realize was that a particular Peterbilt was observing her actions with mild concern. Optimus was not one to pry without cause, so he was not going to ask Tessa to tell him what troubled her; but her reluctance to speak with him did bother him somewhat.

She had stayed close to the Autobots in the hours or so since their return, hardly leaving their sides for more than a few minutes and it had Optimus wondering; what had happened to make her so afraid to be alone? He was brought out of his thoughts when Tessa backed up, using her hands as a guide until she found the side-steps on his truck form. She ran her hand gently down the paint work as she slid to sit on the metal stepping platform. Optimus hated to admit it; but her gentle gesture sent a sensational chill right through his Spark Chamber at the touch. _Sweet Primus_, he thought to himself, observing that the girl had no idea what she was doing to him. He inwardly scolded himself and pushed the thoughts aside, _she is seeking comfort, Prime. Nothing but._ With an internal sigh he tried to ignore the obliviously distracting female who sat beside him, instead continuing to watch the remainder of the N.E.S.T soldiers' send-off with her.

Tessa couldn't describe how she felt at the end of the ceremony. She didn't want to stop honouring them, but she didn't want to continue mourning for those who would not have wished to be pitied. As Lennox and his team saluted the men at arms, she noticed him turn to see a military chopper approaching the base; his face perplexed. He took one last look at the finished memorial of the ceremony before turning to half walk-half jog to where the helicopter was landing; clearly it was someone important. She turned to look up at Optimus before opening the door a crack so that she could talk to him.

"What's going on?" she asked, taking a glance in the direction that Lennox had left.

The Prime's radio switched on and she heard his voice ring through on audio. "I am not entirely certain." He sounded just as curious as she felt.

Then she noticed one of the soldiers approaching the Autobots, he looked calm and steady as he addressed them. "Optimus Prime; they're ready for you to prepare your announcement for the JCS."

Tessa nearly flipped out in surprise as she heard his voice ring from the grill of the truck; loud enough for the officer to hear him. "Thank you. I'm on my way."

The soldier saluted before he turned and walked away as Tess climbed down from the truck door. "At risk of sounding…_militarily_ unintelligent…" she started, a pondering look on her face, "…what _is_ the JCS?"

Ironhide was the one to answer her question as he rolled past, his window rolled down so she could hear him. "The JCS stands for Joint Chiefs of Staff. They run the operations at N.E.S.T; they're who Lennox and Epps report to." He revved his engine before continuing, "And don't concern yourself with your "military unintelligence" Squishy, we already knew you weren't very bright."

Tessa stopped short at his response; it took her a second to realize her was _mocking_ her! She faked anger as she reached up a boot to kick him playfully, "Hey! That's not very nice, robot!"

"Hey, watch the paint job!" he laughed, amused by her delayed reaction to his jest.

She walked with the Autobots as they entered the hangar; smirking at Ironhide as she did so. "Hey, _I'm_ the one who fixes that paintwork; so I by all technicality it's my property." She retorted, "So…what's the deal with the JCS? What does Optimus have to announce today?" she looked over at said Peterbilt as she spoke, watching him roll into the centre of the raised metal walkway that the N.E.S.T operatives were currently running.

Ironhide just sighed heavily, "Decepticons."

"….Oh…" she whispered.

"Anyway Squishy, the rest of us are going over to our area to go into stasis recharge. Optimus can handle the humans." He said, feeling Tess pat the side of the Topkick solidly.

"Sure thing, go and get some rest." She replied with a smile.

She watched the black truck head off to where the rest of the bots were sitting in their vehicle forms; sleeping away their weary minds and (_quite possibly_) their bad memories. It made her wonder if they even dreamed while they were in recharge. For her sake she hoped they didn't; because the things they'd seen would not be things she wanted to dream about. She approached the metal walkway and stopped when she saw Epps standing nearby. He gave her a smile as she approached, placing a hand on her shoulder when she stood beside him.

"How'd it go while we were gone?" he asked her, the two of them looking around at the bustling hangar.

She shrugged indignantly, "I was safe, at least." She stated vaguely, looking up at him and continuing before he could query further, "I missed you guys. I'm glad that you made it home."

Epps gave a chuckle, scruffing her hair the way he'd have done for one of his young daughters before looking over at Optimus' truck form. "Big man is gonna have to have an unwelcome audience…" he muttered, pointing over to where Lennox was walking with a tall, brown haired man with spectacles in a cleanly pressed suit. Epps turned to her and smiled. "That's Director Galloway, from the Embassy of Defence." He looked up at the overhead bridge and then back to her, "You go up onto the walkway; they'll be starting in a minute."

Tessa's eyes widened in surprise, "You mean…I'm allowed to go up there, while they're…you know…being _classified_ and stuff?"

Epps laughed at her concern. "As long as you don't try to photo-bomb anywhere near the camera, you should be fine." He motioned for her to climb the laddered stairs before heading off to meet Lennox and the "Galloway" person he'd mentioned. She gave a laugh to herself and gripped the rails of the staircase, looking over at the back of Optimus. She gave a grin and cupped a hand over her mouth before calling to him. "Knock 'em dead, Chief!"

She didn't know whether or not he was able to hear her or not, but she didn't mind. She climbed up onto the platform and stood leaning against the railing. She could hear Lennox approaching below, and he was clearly giving a tour of some kind. She observed the three men walking below her with curious interest; listening to Lennox speak.

_Whoever this Director guy is…_ she thought to herself, _he must be really important…_

"Alright, so this is where we communicate with the JCS," Lennox gestured above and around them at the platforms and all of the equipment people were busily running; while he was speaking, the blue and red Peterbilt reversed into what she assumed was his ready position, "And this area serves as the Autobots' hangar."

By now the three men had moved underneath the walkway, causing Tessa to switch sides to continue watching them. She wasn't trying to spy on anyone; she was just curious as to how things worked in the military. Suddenly someone called down to them from near where she was leaning against the rail, watching them.

"Secure link to JCS is up, Major." The man yelled out, his voice carrying a very slight southern undertone.

Lennox looked up and gave a brief wave as a thank you, causing Galloway to follow his gaze; his eyes landing on Tess. The way he narrowed his eyes at her made her feel exposed and…_insignificant_. She was not wearing army greens, or any kind of fancy suit like the Director; she was dressed in her navy jumpsuit with the jacket unzipped and the sleeves tied around the waist. Her threadbare black tank top was spotted with grease, just like her hands, her pants; and her face.

Galloway kept his eyes scrutinizing her for a second before he turned to Major Lennox and muttered something that she couldn't have heard even if she'd tried. Whatever it was the Director was saying, the soldier didn't appear impressed; and it took Tessa several minutes to realize that they were having a small argument. However Lennox made a motion that signified the need to move on, excusing himself from the man in the business suit; leaving him at ground level to climb the ladder-stairs. He caught sight of Tess watching him with a worried expression on her face and pressed a hand to her shoulder as he passed her; leaning in to speak to her without seeming conspicuous.

"Try to avoid Galloway." he murmured to her, "Apparently he's not happy about you working here, considering you're lack of military status pretty much makes you a civilian."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the Director's apparent problem with her already. She'd never even _met_ the man before, "Am I…going to be in trouble?" she asked worriedly.

"No, no. Just don't listen to anything he might say to you. Galloway's an ass." She snickered at his remark as he turned to see the camera setting up, "Okay, I have to go and video call with the big guns. Stay out of trouble over here okay?"

She nodded and gave him a thumbs-up, watching with interest as he approached the camera. An image came up on the screen of a middle aged man with light, balding hair and a brown military uniform. He looked like a man of genuine intelligence and judging the laugh lines on his face (_at least from her distance away that's what they looked like_) he could have easily been judged as someone with a fine sense of humour. Lennox addressed him first.

"General?"

"_Will, I saw the Shanghai op. We had a rough day out there._" Tessa was surprised by how sincere his voice sounded towards Lennox; more like that of an old friend than a commanding General.

The Major gave a nod and sighed heavily, "Yes, sir." He took a deep breath, placed his arms rigidly behind his back and his report. She noticed just how much more professional he looked simply by doing so. "We have intel that I believe warrants and immediate debrief. Now with your permission, I can't let you see him," he gestured his head in the direction of where Optimus was parked on the ground floor, "but I would like you to hear from the leader of the Autobots."

The General, who was reclined in his chair quite languidly for someone of such high military standing, gave a nod on the camera screen. "_Proceed_."

A loud mechanical hissing gave way just below the decking and Optimus began to transform before her eyes. The hydraulic whirring and clicks of conjoining mechanisms had once been a sound that reminded her that her job was different than most; now it made her _proud_ to remember such a fact. The way he altered his form was majestic, every piece and part fitting together perfectly in an astounding complex puzzle; like a Rubix cube too complicated for even the Gods themselves to comprehend. Surprisingly enough, she felt her heart swell from the sheer _inspiration_ that his presence could inspire in others. As the tires that aligned along his legs whirred to a stop from their spinning, she took a second to steel her nerves.

It still took her breathe away that these mechanical _marvels_ were beings that she could call her friends.

Optimus paused after his impressive debut to glance down at Epps and Galloway before turning to address the General on screen, although since he was out of view; he turned his words to Lennox instead.

"General, our alliance has countermanded six Decepticon incursions this year, each on a different continent." He stated, the commanding tone in his voice unmistakable to the little female. There would never be any doubt that this man-or…robot…was a _leader_. "They're clearly searching around the world for something, but last night's encounter came with a warning."

He activated something that made a rewinding sound, then allowed a recording to activate; and the distorted, dying sound of a creature's last words were audible. "_The Fallen shall rise again_."

Tessa felt her blood run cold. In all her life she'd never heard such a chilling sound. Was _this_ one of the Decepticons that N.E.S.T protected the world from? She near trembled at the thought of what the terrifying voice belonged to; she'd had enough nightmares in the last two days without having an actual _image_ put into her head.

"_The Fallen. Meaning what?_" came the General's reply.

Optimus kept close to the amplifier that one of the soldier's was holding up to him as he continued. "Origin unknown. The only recorded history of our race was contained within the AllSpark and lost with its destruction-"

"Excuse me!" came a yell from the ground level. All heads turned to see Galloway, even Optimus turned to face him as he continued, "With this so-called AllSpark now destroyed," he began to climb up the ladder, still addressing the great Autobot. "…why hasn't the enemy left the planet like you thought they would?"

Tess heard Lennox sigh in annoyance; a notion which made her smile to herself, hoping the approaching man in the business suit wouldn't see her doing so. "Director Galloway," Lennox informed the General, "our National Security Advisor. The President just appointed him liaison…"

"_Well, I guess I didn't get that memo…_" replied the man on the camera. Tess nearly snorted at the sarcastic humour she heard in his voice, but refrained from doing so for the sake of her present company. Galloway was approaching near where they stood, pushing through the people on the platform.

"Forgive the interruption, General. Excuse me. Coming through." He twisted and winded in between the N.E.S.T operatives as he made his way toward the camera, "Excuse me. Excuse me, soldier." He got to Tess, who was accidently on the same section of walkway he was trying to pass, and glared her down as he tried to twist around her, "_Move_." He snapped irritably.

Tessa's eyes widened at his blatant rudeness, but stepped away nonetheless; it wasn't her place to argue with a Security Advisor.

Once he reached Lennox, who gestured to where he camera was; he continued.

"After all the damage in Shanghai, the President is…uh…hard-pressed to say the job's getting done." She didn't like the way he stared Lennox down before turning to Optimus and raising his voice so that he giant robot could hear him. "Now, under he classified Alien/Autobot Cooperation Act, you agreed to share your intel with us; but not your advancements in weaponry."

Optimus raised his hand, pointing his giant, mechanical finger at the wiry little man, his voice reminding her of the tone a parent might use to scold a child. "We've witnessed your human capacity for war. It would _absolutely_ bring more harm than good."

Tess felt a strange sense of pride at his words. _He understands our limits better than we do_, she thought, _Figures that the best decisions for the human race wouldn't be made by some dumb human_…

However apparently Galloway didn't agree; and the man's very presence was beginning to irritate her. There was something she just…didn't like about him. "But who are _you_ to judge what's best for _us_?"

"Certainly not an ignorant jackass like you…" she hissed under her breathe. To her horror, the Director snapped his head in her direction with a scowl, having obviously heard her. _Oh shit…_ she thought nervously. Luckily for her, Lennox butted in; indirectly coming to her rescue.

"With all due respect, we've been fighting side by side in the field for _two years_." He stated, his voice sounding irritable and defensive; and personally she didn't blame him. This man was trying to make a mockery of everything these men fought for. Apparently Epps felt the same way, because he called up to Galloway to make his voice heard too.

"We've shed blood, sweat and precious metal together." He said angrily, gesturing to the figure of Optimus Prime standing beside him. Tess smiled sadly, remembering that they had also shared in the loss of comrades not much earlier that day.

The Director, however; paid this little heed. He leaned over the railing and spat out in a condescending tone, "Soldier, you're paid to shoot; not talk."

Tess felt her blood boil at the diminishment of what her friends went through, to act like their voices had no right. _This guy's a fucking __jackass__!_ However to her glee, she heard Epps mutter under his breathe with, "Don't tempt me." She caught eyesight with Optimus and sent him an amused smirk, but he raised his hand at the soldier, with a word of restraint to Epps slipping from his mouth.

"And the uh, the _newest_ members of your team," Galloway started again, however this time he look condescendingly at Tessa herself, "not including your ill-mannered, _uncleared_ little grease-monkey civilian here…" Her cheeks flushed angrily at his "better-than-thou" tone. Instead of saying something in response she just sat down on one of the computer chairs; her face appearing as though he'd physically struck her. _It's not your place to argue with him Tess…don't give him the satisfaction._

Although Tessa had averted her eyes, Lennox was still watching the scene. And as true as he stood there, if he personally had been on the receiving end of the expression that Optimus Prime was now directing at Galloway for the insult; he'd have damn near cried home to his mother. The Autobot leader looked _pissed_. Galloway however, being the borderline politician that he was, simply continued with his speech.

"I understand that these new member arrived here after you sent a message into space, an open invitation to come to Earth; vetted by _no-one _at the White House."

"_Let me stop you right there, Mr Galloway. It was vetted right here._" Interrupted the General, who was clearly also getting fed up with this man's antics, "_And in my experience, the judgement of both Major Lennox and his team; has always been above reproach._"

The puny man gave what was almost a scoff as he looked into the camera; his expression that of someone speaking to a fool, "Well, be that as it may, General…It is the position of the President that when our national security is at stake," he attempted to pause for what he probably assumed was a dramatic effect, "no-one is above reproach. Now what do we know, so far? We know that the _enemy_ leader, Classified NBE One, A.K.A Megatron, is rusting in peace at the bottom of the Laurentian Abyssal; surrounded by SOSUS detection nets and a full-time submarine surveillance."

Tessa didn't understand much of what Galloway was referring to, because much of the information regarding the feud in Mission City was classified and not for her knowledge; but she had briefly heard the bots mention something about Megatron. He was the Decepticon king, or leader…whatever it was they called him.

"We also know that the only remaining piece of your alien AllSpark is locked in an electromagnetic vault, here on one of the most secure naval bases in the world."

_Wait…should he really be saying all that classified information in front of someone like me? After all, __he__ was the jackass who said I was uncleared. Is this guy fucking __dense__ or what? What if those freaking alien things have tapped one of our computers? Or whatever piece of equipment they had used to set up the link? The Autobots _had_ told her that Decepticons were ingenious with manipulating technology…_ Shaking her head to herself, Tess decided to clear the morbid thoughts from her head. Surely Galloway wasn't that stupid; he was the National Security Advisor! He may have been an asshole, but it was his job to…do security stuff! He had to be smarter than she gave him credit for…right?

Besides, it wasn't her place to speak out against him here.

"And since _no-one_ can seem to tell me what the enemy is now after, well there's only one clear conclusion!" he turned and walked along the gangway, stopping a few feet in front of Tessa; but ignoring her to instead turn his fury onto Optimus. "You! The Autobots!" Tessa raised her head in shock at his accusation, seeing the man lean over the railing with that _irritating_ look of condescension. "They're here to _hunt_ you! What's there to hunt for on Earth besides that?"

That was when she saw the _look_ on the Prime's face. Pure annoyance and _frustration_; she found herself hoping that she _never_ got on his bad side. His anger was easily justified; this ignorant little man in a suit was telling him that the planet he was trying to protect was in danger because of _him_. Hell the accusation even made _her_ angry; she stood up from her chair trying to fight away the urge to slap Galloway.

However he continued with his ramble; it was like the man never ran out of things to complain about! And Tess had only met him five minutes ago! "The Fallen shall rise again? It sounds to me like something's coming." _Oh very clever…_she thought sarcastically, _you're just the next Sherlock Holmes_… "So, let me ask, if we ultimately conclude that our national security is best served by denying you further asylum on _our_ planet…" She felt her heart plummet into her stomach at what he was implying. _He's not say that…_? "…will you leave peacefully."

Tess could hold it any more, she addressed Galloway directly, "Mister are you insane? These guys are the people like you can sleep at night! How could you-"

"Tessa." Optimus cut in. His finger was raised in a "stop" gesture, but his tone was gentle and soft; she realized that he was acknowledging her defence of he and his Autobots, but it was not her argument to fight. She gave him a nod and sat back down before Optimus answered the Director. "Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honour it."

The man it the suit gave a decisive nod as he gripped the rails, either accepting or contemplating his next words. Optimus looked over to the mechanic, who was nervously chewing her thumbnail. When she looked up briefly and caught gazes with him, he was suddenly hit with the thought of, _what if they __did__ make that request?_ The idea of leaving Tess-_any _of the human race without a means of defence, made his chest ache sadly. And so he decided to add something for Galloway to consider.

"But, before your President decides, please ask him this. What if we leave; and you're wrong." He leaned in over the railing to Galloway briefly; a passive attempt to demonstrate how much more powerful and capable he was than the mere mortal man, before backing away from him with a "that-is-final" expression.

Lennox leaned in to Optimus and whispered at him, "That's a good question."

Tessa, who had now approached Lennox; relieved that the ordeal with Galloway was out of the way, snorted at him before poking him in the shoulder. "Suck up." She uttered cheekily. She cast a quick glance over in the Security Advisor's general direction before looking up at Optimus with an flushed expression. "I-I'm sorry I overstepped the line, Optimus. I shouldn't have…embarrassed you like that." Lennox put a reassuring arm around her shoulder and gave her a comforting, one sided squeeze.

The Prime shook his head at her. "No. _He _should not have insulted you the way that he did." He held an upturned hand up to the railing with his palm flat, offering her a lift. She climbed over the railing and onto the mechanical appendage; not seeing what Major Lennox behind her saw. As he looked up at Optimus' face, he saw a glimmer in the glowing blue optics that he'd never _seen_ in the Autobot before. A fondness that was current only something small; innocent, he knew from his experience with his wife, Sarah; that there was a chance it could grow into something much more.

"Well what do you know…?" he mumbled to himself with a smirk.

Meanwhile, as Optimus turned away from the platform he went to place Tess back on the ground; but she gripped his thumb to stop him. She looked up at his sternly.

"Can we go for a walk please, Chief? I want to ask you something." She said, sounding a lot surer of herself than she felt, what with being 30 feet off the ground and all…

He chuckled at her bravado; despite her lack of size or strength she seemed awfully confident ordering the Autobots around. He found it refreshing. "And what would it be that's on your mind." She swallowed hard as she worked up the nerve to venture into territory she already _knew_ she'd been denied from; but it was worth a try. _Okay…here goes nothing_.

"Tell me about what happened in Mission City…"


	12. Bullet Proof Skin

**Have I told you guys how much I love you all? I have? Well, it won't kill you all to hear it again ;P**

**Thank you SO SO SO SO much for the reviews guys; they're keeping me writing and keeping the updates going fast. Now this chapter was actually pretty fun to write; because there's a little bit of saucy humour in it.**

**Let's just put it this way…**

**We all know which part of a male's anatomy a Gear Stick resembles right? ;D**

**Hope you guys all enjoy, keep up the amazing reviews guys; because it just makes my heart swell to know you guys are reading!**

**(As always; I am half asleep while writing this, so forgive the grammatical errors: I haven't proof read this yet.)**

_Wow_…she thought slowly, _these guys really __have__ been to Hell and back_...

Tessa sat motionless on the hand of Optimus; he had just told her everything about the war that took place in Mission city. She had been told about Sam Witwicky and his part in the battle, about their soldier Bumblebee who even now remained the boy's guardian. He'd told her about the loss of their saboteur, Jazz; and about how even in death he had gone down fighting. She now knew about the AllSpark's significance.

…And the destruction of Cybertron…

She looked up to the mighty leader only to see that his eyes were not trained on her; but looking into the distance. Her heart went out to him, but she couldn't stand to see anymore sadness; losing a squad of men was enough for one day.

"Chief," she called up to him, hoping to break him from the revere, "hold up your thumb on this hand."

She patted the hand that she was sitting on, his fingers flat and outstretched. He gave her a confused look, but did as she asked without a word. To his surprise she shuffled to her feet and stepped cautiously over the uneven surface before reaching the appendage. She looked up at him with a serious expression before placing a hand on his thumb. She ran her fingers gently over the metal and gave a sigh.

"I'm so sorry for the things you've all lost, I want you to know that…" then she overstretched her arms and hugged his thumb; glad that she had at least _some_ way to comfort him, "…but I think you should focus the future instead. Don't…forget that we're here for you, all of you…_I'm_ here."

Optimus looked down at her with an incomprehensible expression. She couldn't see him, because her face was pressed against the metal of his thumb, and her eyes shut tight as she spoke to him. He felt a smile creep into the metal plates that made up his face, and he sighed endearingly. "You are wise beyond your years."

She snorted and looked up as him with a smile, "Nah. I'm just better with machines than I am with people. Technology makes more sense than humans." She laughed wholeheartedly, hoping to lighten the situation; looking to the things in their lives that were good and _whole_. She looked over at the setting sun, its rays casting a vibrant, wicked orange glow over the N.E.S.T base. "I think…Optimus; let's go for a drive."

She looked up at him with a stern look, her amber eyes bearing an almost copper luminescence in the sun. The Autobot looked down at her with a confused expression at first; surprised by her sudden statement. It was, however, quickly replaced with a look of understanding. Noticing that she was still holding his thumb, he decided to tease her a little.

"Well…we _could_…but you have to let go of my hand." He smirked.

Tess flushed scarlet and vaulted away from his finger like it had just bitten her. "Sorry! I-I forgot that it was your-I mean I didn't-I…Sorry!" she stuttered and stumbled, making the giant robot laugh deeply; feeling a little guilty that his amusement was at her expense.

"I didn't have any problem with it." Optimus chuckled, placing her gently on the ground before him so that he could transform. Once he was in the form of his Peterbilt, the door swung open for her to climb up the side steps into the driver's seat; and the seatbelt snapped over her chest with a click. "Safety first." He teased.

This made Tessa snort in response. "Yeah, like _you'd_ get in a car accident." She scoffed, poking the leather of the seat with a grin.

Optimus chuckled over the radio before starting the engine and making a turn towards the exit of the base.

It was a few minutes before they were on the open desert roads, with just miles and miles of red in every direction and pavement beneath the truck's wheels. Tess couldn't help but be mesmerised by the way the sun slipped beneath the horizon; leaving the sky a dusky pink as stars began to appear like faded, twinkling fireflies. She felt the road rumbling beneath her, and the roar of the truck's powerful engine rang through her ears. Her heart raced at the sheer freedom she was feeling, and neither she nor Optimus had said a word. She leaned over the steering wheel and sighed contentedly; feeling the stress of the day just melting away. But she wanted more than contentment, she wanted freedom; she wanted a rush.

"Hey Optimus…" she murmured gently against the steering wheel.

"Mm?" the baritone sent a chill up her spine at the tone he used; he sounded as content as she did.

"Drive faster."

He didn't reply to the request, but to her delight the stick shift changed gears and the engine roared as it exercised its raw power. She watched the speedometer's needle slowly climb on the dashboard, her heart racing at the change in pace. She watched the darkening road fly past her, and noticed that Optimus had turned on the headlights; illuminating the rapidly approaching stretch of road. "Yeah!" she whooped, hitting the steering wheel playfully with her hands, revelling in the rush as her body panicked and pumped adrenaline into her blood. "Chief! Crank some music! Something _loud_!"

Optimus wound down the windows of the cabin and the wind whipped her hair around her face; strands of it coming loose from the messy pile on her head. She cheered happily, the rush burning on her bones as the Autobot turned on the radio and "Animals" by Nickelback roared deafeningly out of the speakers. _Fuck yes_! She thought happily. Raising her voice, she sang along to the words; happily knowing that nobody would be able to hear her over the lyrics.

_No, we're never gonna quit_

_Ain't nothing wrong with it_

_Just acting like we're animals_

_No, no matter where we go_

_'Cause everybody knows_

_We're just a couple of animals_

She laughed as Optimus revved forward, picking up even more speed. They were _totally_ breaking all legal speed limits right now, but Tessa hardly cared. Driving at this speed in the finest piece of machinery she'd ever worked on was what mechanics like her _lived_ for! She felt her fingers tingle with a familiar itch; God it had been so long since she'd actually driven a car. An idea crossed her mind as the truck rounded a bend and gave a clear view of the almost endless stretch of straight road in front of them that stretched into the now black abyss.

"Optimus!" she yelled over the radio, "I'm _begging_ you to let me _drive_!"

She placed her hands firmly on the wheel, and felt the truck deign control over to her. She gave an excited yell as she steadied the wheel, and listened to the sound of Chad Kroeger's voice as the words to the song filled the air.

_You're beside me on the seat_

_Got your hand between my knees_

_And you control how fast we go by just how hard you wanna squeeze_

_It's hard to steer when you're breathing in my ear_

_But I got both hands on the wheel while you got both hands on my gears_

_By now, no doubt that we were heading south_

_I guess nobody ever taught her not to speak with a full mouth_

_'Cause this was it, like flicking on a switch_

_It felt so good I almost drove into the ditch_

As the sheer exhilaration of speed pulsed through her, she reached a hand down to the console on her right. Her fingers twined expertly around the gearstick and she went to change gears; but she was startled as the song on the speakers suddenly skipped rapidly.

"_It's hard to steer when you're breathing in my ear_

_But I got both hands on the wheel while you got both hands on my gears_"

Confused, she tried to ignore it and instead gently ran her fingers to the top of the stick shift so that she could switch gears to make the truck go faster, but no sooner than her fingers grazed the indented numbers on the shift; the truck jolted and swerved violently. Tessa screamed in shock as the speeding truck slammed on the brakes and spun an almost complete 360. As they squealed to a stop, the radio cut off sharply and the only thing that could be heard was her gasping for breath, her heart hammering at what could have been a near accident.

"_Tessa_!" he barked anxiously from his speakers, his tone one of distressed concern, "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. Are…you okay, Chief?" she asked worriedly, checking to see that everything on her body was still attached and functioning. Her voice was a little higher than normal due to her brief moment of fear.

To her surprise, the sound of Optimus' voice could be heard over the speakers but it sounded like hitched breathing; like he was…trying to catch his breath.

"Chief?" she asked again, more concerned this time.

"I'm sorry." He stated quickly, sounding as though he was trying to compose himself. His tone was almost…_flustered_. "That was incredibly dangerous and I apologise; but I…wasn't _expecting_ that."

She paused with a confused expression. "…Expecting what?" a worried expression crossing her features as she shuffled forward in her seat, placing a hand concernedly on the dashboard. To her surprise he made a sound that was something akin to a cough.

"It doesn't matter, it was just-" he cut himself off, and Tess realized that he was listening to someone speaking on his Com-Link.

The Com-Link was something she had learned about the Autobots that had fascinated her; it was a communication network accessible only to them. Even being in the cabin of their vehicle forms while they used it wouldn't allow someone to hear it. Not to mention that Tess suspected they probably spoke in Cybertronian over the link, therefore even if someone _did_ hear them using it; they would probably have been entirely unable to understand a single word.

After a few moments, Optimus crackled the stereo to life; his voice coming from the speakers. "We need to get back to N.E.S.T… Something has happened."

Her eyes widened in horror, "What? What happened; is anyone hurt?" she exclaimed, her hands clenching at the seating stressfully. However Optimus couldn't tell her because Ratchet, who had been the one to communicate to him over the Com-Link, hadn't given him specifics; he'd just informed Prime that they needed to return to base as soon as they could for a matter of great urgency. "Well, we'd better get going then. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine now. Just…let me drive the way back, agreed?"

Tessa sighed and leaned back in the driver's seat. "Sure, Optimus; if that's what you want."

She had to admit that she felt a little ripped off. It had been so long since she'd been in control of a car; what with N.E.S.T carpooling her to and from the base (_when she didn't stay overnights from working late_), or the Autobots being the ones to take her somewhere. She just hoped that this hadn't made Optimus think she was a bad drive, because she _wasn't_! When it came to cars, her pride was her downfall because she hated to be outdone by others who thought that they knew better. In a way she supposed it was a flaw, but she didn't see any harm in being proud of the things she was good at.

After all, in this Autobot/Decepticon war; her ability to fix things was all she had to offer them.

As the two drove back along the stretches of road towards Diego Garcia, she noticed that Optimus had chosen to have the radio on instead of conversing. Soft music played through the cabin; and in a way it made Tessa concern.

"Optimus…are you mad at me?"

The radio clicked off and he responded to her, sounding confused. "Mad at you…? Why in the name of Cybertron would I be _angry_ with you?"

"I dunno, I…must have done something to make us almost crash. I'm usually…a really _good_ driver…"

To her surprise, the radio uttered a chuckled before a cheeky tone came through the speakers; a smirk detectable in the voice. "I can assure you, Tessa; I have no doubts about your ability to…_handle_ a vehicle."

The tone inflected in his voice confused her, if not made her a little curious; but she didn't comment. She decided to just sit back in the seat and try to give her muscles a chance to relax. They drove in silence for the rest of the way, but as they pulled up into the base and Tess went to remove her seatbelt; she felt it jam to get her attention.

"Tessa…" the speakers murmured gently, "I want you to know; you have never, _ever_ done anything to make me angry with you. Transparent honesty like yours is hard to find on your planet. Do not lose what makes you…_you_."

She gave a smile and ran a hand gently along the seat. "Thanks, Optimus. I'm glad…" With that she climbed down from the truck and onto the tarmac. No sooner than her feet touched the ground, Optimus transformed back into his robot form; looking almost regal in the moonlight that bathed the base. It didn't take long for them to reach the hangar where Lennox and his men had congregated; all of the Autobots were there too. Epps looked up and caught sight of them.

"Finally! We were waiting for you two!" he exclaimed, motioning for them to approach the others; he looked incredibly distressed.

"What…what's happened?"

The look on Lennox's face gave her cause to worry; he looked worried and wary. Almost like he was unsure of what they could do; whatever the news was it didn't look like it was going to be good. Finally he looked between Optimus and Tessa before speaking to everybody. "The Decepticons have stolen the last piece of The AllSpark…"

_Oh shit_…she thought, _that is __definitely__ not good_…


	13. And Embers Rise

**Well, things are finally starting to move along I think ;P**

**I worked really hard on this chapter; it was a difficult one because I wanted to show the development in Tessa's feelings without it seeming sudden.**

**Bearing in mind that she and Optimus been subtly flirting throughout the story, I think it's okay so far. But at the moment it's only small; they need time to let things grow between them. But I wanted to make it obvious that once Tessa recognises her feelings, she's not going to deny them; as you all know she has a blatant honesty that makes it difficult to lie to anyone; this includes **_**herself**_** as well.**

**Please let me know what you guys think; because I don't want it to feel like I'm moving the story too fast or slow. So opinions are not only welcome this time, but very much needed.**

**Enjoy :)**

Tessa looked around her at the Autobots, then in the direction of Lennox and Epps; all of their faces expressing a deep and worrying concern. "So…what's the plan?" she asked, ringing her shirt in her hands worriedly. There was a brief moment of silence, and as Tessa looked up at the towering figure of Optimus, she noticed that his optics had dimmed a little. That was when she realized; the Autobots were speaking silently to each other over the Com-Link.

Suddenly a little annoyed at the idea that they were keeping her out of the loop, she raised the toe of her boot and kicked Optimus in the foot; not hard, just firmly enough for him to snap out of the communication and look down at her in surprise. He noticed the stern look on her face.  
>"Hey, say it out loud!" She demanded, not breaking eye contact despite the massive height difference. She motioned to Lennox and Epps who were standing up on the metal walkway, "we're all a part of this too, Chief; no Com-Linking."<p>

Optimus lowered his chin a little in apology. "I'm sorry. It's an old habit I suppose."

"Yeah well don't do it; I don't want you guys to go keeping the important stuff from me, okay?" she kept her scolding face, but her smile showed him that she wasn't really angry with him. To her surprise she heard Lennox and Epps snort with laughter above her; despite the seriousness of the current situation.

"Better listen to wifey down there, big man; before she gets out the frying pan." Epps chuckled. He and Lennox seemed to have shared some sort of inside joke, much to Tessa's chagrin. Her face flushed scarlet and she averted her eyes as she shook her head, trying to keep her expression blank.

"I just want to know what's going on…" she stated.

"Kidding, kidding." Lennox chuckled at her before clearing his throat seriously, "Anyway guys…we need to get back to business; Optimus, what should we do?"

"Your leaders think that this happened because of our presence, correct?" the Prime asked as he looked at Lennox. His stance was tall, and Tessa found herself envying his perfect posture as he stood in his command.

"Unfortunately, yes. They-"

"Whoa, wait a second!" Tessa called up to them. She made her way quickly over to the ladder and hauled herself up so that she could speak normally without having to shout, "How is this _your_ fault? Wasn't that Security Director guy the one flapping his gums about the AllSpark earlier this afternoon? Could they have…I don't know…_hacked_ us or something?"

Sideswipe interjected, approaching Optimus to address everyone on the railing clearly, "She's right, Optimus. We've done nothing but try to help them!"

The great leader shook his head, obviously feeling as if he disagreed, "All of this started with The AllSpark; a keepsake of _our_ world. However indirectly it may have been, this war involves the humans because it came here and we followed it. Even if unintentionally; the dangers that exist here now are because of us." He gave a sigh and paused for a moment, clearly thinking of something; before he then turned his gaze to Ironhide, his right hand man. "Contact Bumblebee; I need to meet with Sam."

The black mech nodded without hesitation; not for a second questioning Optimus' command, a sign of his devoted allegiance. Tessa didn't comment because this was now not her conversation; it was tactics for the Autobots to plan. She would go along with whatever it was they decided because in all understanding; this was not her war. She was nothing but a helping hand to repair them; her job was to make _them_ battle ready, not jump into the fire herself. With a sigh she raised a hand to her temple; trying to massage away the headache she had.

_Sugar withdrawals_, she realized. Upon understanding what the source of the issue was, she dug into her pocket and fished out her Skittles; the wrapper was almost empty now. She'd not eaten her fruit lollies all day, having only had some at breakfast that morning. With Lennox's team returning and the ceremony that had been held for the lost soldiers; she'd found it neither appropriate nor necessary for her to be chewing candy in the corner like some cud-munching cow. However her current withdrawals from the sugar content called for her to eat them now. She discreetly tipped the remaining contents of the bag into her mouth before scrunching up the plastic and shoving it into her pocket.

"Where will I tell them to go?" Ironhide asked Optimus, referring to the ones they had mentioned early; Bumblebee and the Witwicky boy.

"I will send Bumblebee the location once he has Sam; but for now you need to tell him simply to collect the boy. Earth's leaders need to see that there is still a human who shares our trust." He gave a heavy sigh, and Tess knew this to be a sign that he was stressed; but she could not offer him a drive this time, because there was no time for it. She felt her heart weighing down with his words.

_I trust you_…she thought to herself, watching him move to address his Autobots. She zoned out of the conversation for a few moment, because against her own devices; she found herself mesmerized by the regal leader. She awed the fluidity of his motions, and the gentle tone that commanded his every gesture; the fact that he never had to raise his voice to be heard and acknowledged.

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she thought back to the conversations they'd had in past months; the depth of their characters comparing perfectly. Her theories on Fusion Engineering did not go over his head like they did with humans; he grasped the concepts and was _fascinated_ by them.

All her life she'd struggled to converse with people. Her ideas were too radical, her mind was too deep in engine parts; her hands were always too _dirty_. People didn't accept her for it.

But these mechanical _wonders_ understood everything she said; they comprehended and shared her love of technological advancement. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd sat up late while she worked in the hangar and Optimus sat with her; their conversations existing on a level of depth she'd never had before in her life.

He was intelligent, wise, and compassionate on a level she'd never seen before; he bore the burden of leadership and never complained because his only concern was those he protected. She felt her stomach flutter at the idea that she was now a part of that category.

That was when her private smile froze in shock. Was she…_crushing_…on Optimus _Prime_?

She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts, but she realized that the butterflies in her stomach were still there, and as she looked up to where he was designating particular objectives to his men; she felt her heart beat just a little bit faster.

_Well what do you know_…she thought to herself with a surprising calm, _looks like I am_…

She bit her lip to try and hide her smile, a blush prickling its way across her nose at the realization. She wasn't going to deny anything to herself, because her feelings were her feelings; if that's what they were then so be it. That certainly didn't mean she was going to go around _telling_ everyone, but in her opinion; denial got you nowhere. Not to mention the fact that the genuine and blatant honesty of her personality made it hard for her to lie; even to herself.

"I've contacted Bumblebee," Ironhide said firmly; cutting into her thoughts with his gruff, comforting voice, "he'll have the boy tonight. If you give him the location then he should arrive by early morning; you will need to meet them there, Optimus."

The massive blue and red robot nodded in acknowledgement to the weapons specialist before turning to Lennox and Epps with a serious, contemplative look on his features. "I would suggest preparing for a battle. The Decepticons have the remaining piece of The AllSpark; and I fear to think what they plan to do with it." He gave a sigh that sounded a lot like air hissing out of a valve before he gave himself a nod and went to walk out of the hangar; there was a purpose in his stride. Tessa took off into a jog and followed him outside.

"Chief!" she called, struggling to catch up with him, "Where will you be going?"

He bent down onto one knee and looked her in the eye. She was surprised at the sudden feeling of nerves she got jittering inside her throat, and she fought with every ounce of her strength to keep the blush from her cheeks; hoping that in the darkness he wouldn't notice. To her relief, he either didn't notice, or pretended not to; because he gave a thoughtful expression and answered her question in that velvet baritone voice of his.

"A cemetery a fair while from here. If I leave now I will get there before Sam and Bumblebee." He gave another one of those hissing sighs as he broke eye contact to scan his own thoughts; then returned his gaze to her. They were in such close proximity that the neon of his optics cast a glowing, fluorescent blue light on her features. "I fear that things will be getting out of hand before long…"

She pulled a concerned expression; her worry tugging down the left corner of her mouth as she regarded him, "Do you…want me to go with you…? All you have to do is say so."

His eyes darted to her quickly, touched at the gesture; however he knew he had to refuse the offer. "I thank you for asking, Tessa…but this is not your role. You are needed here, and I need to speak with Sam alone. His bond with us formed long before you came here…and perhaps seeing his trust in us will show your leaders that we are not so different."

His gaze lowered once more, to the ground this time; and she felt her heart ache at the lost expression on his face. She raised her hand from her side, and hesitated for just a moment before tentatively touching her hand to the plates on his face. Optimus seemed a little startled at the contact, but after a second he relaxed again; allowing her fingers to gently trace the shapes and curves.

"We're not different." She whispered comfortingly; stroking her thumb over the vents on his cheek, "You feel, and reason, and think just as much as _they_ do. I feel more at home in the company of the Autobots than I ever have anywhere else. I want you to know that."

She smiled at him as she moved her hand to rest her palm flat against the metal, and if they had been the same size; it would have been the equivalent of cupping his cheek. She half expected him to change the subject and get onto his mission at hand, but to her surprise; his the metal that acted as what would have been his eyelids, slid over the neon blue of his optics. He gave a slow, heavy exhalation that to Tessa; sounded like a contented sigh. Her heart warmed at the feel of air brushing her face from the exhale of air; the Autobots had to have some sort of air compressor within themselves. The two of them didn't say anything for a minute; both of them taking silent comfort in the gesture while they could. Finally, Tessa looked up at his face with a fondness she was glad he couldn't see; his optics were still closed.

"You just don't see how special you are." She murmured, knowing full-well that it was audible to him. Not surprisingly, his gaze opened and turned to her; watching her face for a moment as if trying to assess her.

Tessa couldn't _not_ notice the way her skin prickled and her heart fluttered; never in her life had she known someone whose eyes could see _through_ her the way his did. She couldn't say it was a bad thing, because it wasn't; it just unnerved her a little at how uncontrollably open she felt around him.

"Would you like me to drop you home along the way?" he asked gently, placing a hand on the ground next to her so that he could support his own weight.

She was about to say yes, she _wanted_ to say yes; but the memory of her nightmares the last few days swam into her mind. She felt her chest cramp up at the idea of being where this team _wasn't_. She decided that there was no way she could go through it again.

Not a chance.

Tessa shook her head slowly, her hand that rested on his face glided a little along the metal; an attempt to remind herself that they were safe (_that __he__ was safe_) and in no danger…yet. She looked him right in the optics, having no doubts that he could see the remnant fear that rested in her amber eyes. "Thank you…but no. I'm not going anywhere until you come back; I'll be waiting right here."

She could have sworn she saw…_relief_ flood across his features. Was he relieved that she would be safe on base or that he wouldn't have had to drive her all the way home…? She decided that the second one was unlikely, he'd never been opposed to her presence in the past; if anything he'd always seemed to encourage it. The memory alone made her smile.

"I will hold you to that." Optimus said gently as he chuckled at her. She slowly took her hand away, unintentionally tracing her fingers along the metal before breaking contact all together. He noticed that the tiny space her hand had taken up felt suddenly cold without the touch there; absent and lacking. "I must go. I need to be there to meet Sam and Bumblebee."

He went to stand, but was stopped by her. "Wait!" she said quickly.

The Prime halted in his movement turned to face her once more. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no. It's just…" she paused slowly, shuffling nervously on her feet before looking up at him. Chewing worriedly on her lip, she glanced side to side for a brief moment before nodding to herself; apparently deciding something she was mulling over. She stretched up her hand and gripped the vent on his face; standing on her tippy toes to reach him. Then, quickly and ever so gently; she planted a chaste kiss on the blue metal of his cheek.

She moved away fairly hastily and let go of him, stepping back one or two steps before giving him a nervous smile; trying to ignore the mad blush that was currently burning her ears. "Be careful."

His eyes were still widened a little in surprise at her actions, but with a smile he braced his massive arms on his legs and gently reached a hand out to her, "Stay very still." He warned her gently. Tessa, not knowing what it was that he was doing; stood as rigid as a statue, suddenly wary of his warning. To her relief though, she was pleasantly surprised when his hand hovered gently next to her form; the massive appendage almost engulfing her with its sheer mass. Optimus used one finger to gently and _ever_ so softly cup her chin; her features dwarfed in comparison to the mechanical joints and metal. He looked her very solidly in the eyes as he held her gaze for a moment. "I will be careful, I promise you."

The feeling of having him touch her, and the sound of his rumbling, baritone voice left her breathless as she spoke next, "I…" she had to stop and intake some air; realizing that her lungs were currently depleted, "I'll hold you to that…" she whispered; repeating his phrase from only moments ago.

The joints in his finger clicked and whirred as he removed it from under her chin very carefully, and within her own mind Tessa believed that the situation could have probably been compared to a lion trying to pet a sparrow; protective but dangerous. He chuckled at her response; delighted not for the first time by her quick wit. It was clear they both felt it; something between them that had not yet been categorized. It was an unusual feeling; almost like gravity. And that's exactly what it felt like to Tessa, that for lack of a better word; a _connection_ seemed to pull them toward one another.

Just like _gravity_.

Whether Optimus felt it too or not, she didn't know, but either way they always seemed to end up at each other's side; and it made her feel stronger just by having him around her.

Without another word, he smiled at her and stood to his full height; appearing nothing short of magnificent. The sound of his transformation rang through the night and Tess found herself delighting in the familiar noise; it was just…_him_. When the Peterbilt stood in front of her, its headlights flashed at her once for a brief second before the engine roared to life; the sound ringing out in the dead night. She watched Optimus drive away until she could no longer see the truck's tail-lights blinking at her in the distance before she gave a sigh. Her heart fluttered at the realization that she had pretty much just indirectly demonstrated her feelings towards him; but she didn't regret it in the slightest.

Maybe it was because of her inability to be dishonest even to herself, or maybe it was the fact that she didn't mind if Optimus saw the way she felt; or maybe it was just the fact that either way she knew that he would not hurt or ridicule her for having such connection towards him. What she felt was currently only the beginning of something that could, perhaps, grow with time and she had to admit to herself that she wouldn't mind seeing where it might go; providing that perhaps he felt the same pull…

Yeah…it looked as though she really _was_ starting to crush on Optimus Prime, but the fact was that in all honesty, she really _didn't_ mind…


	14. Ready To Fall

**As usual there will probably be a few grammatical errors because I am about to go to bed…**

**I KNOW I kept you guys waiting a few days longer for this chapter, but I SWEAR TO PRIMUS I've been busy with work; and believe me I would much rather write this than go to work ;P**

**But anyhow, I can assure you all; it was well WORTH the wait. So please, enjoy.**

**To anyone who wants to know how I pictured Optimus, this is the image I use in my mind, it's by an artist called Lecidre: browse . deviantartcom /?qh=§ion=&q=optimus+prime+holoform#/d1s3hvi (**_**minus the spaces**_**) The artist who does these is utterly AMAZING, so go check out the whole gallery; seriously.**

**By the way, I would LOVE reviews on this chapter; because I worry if I'm moving the plot/storyline/movie too fast. PLEASE let me know guys.**

**As always, love you all! **

**xx**

"Told you," Sideswipe laughed, slapping Ironhide heavily on the back, "she likes him."

Ironhide, who had followed the silver Autobot to the edge of the hangar was surprised to watch the exchange between Optimus and Tessa. The expression on her face as he left was unmistakable; and he was actually glad to see that the girl had affection for the leader. "Well what do you know…?" he smiled. The two had kept themselves hidden well while they spoke, and as Tessa stood watching the Peterbilt drive away; Sideswipe turned to the black mech with a grin.

"You owe me 20 bucks." The silver robot exclaimed gleefully. To this, Ironhide snorted at him.

"They haven't admitted anything yet." He retorted irritably, "The deal was that if they confessed feelings for each other, I would pay you."

Sideswipe became visibly deflated, his expression turning to one of disappointment; he'd forgotten that little technicality. He looked out the corner of his eyes and realized that Tessa was still standing out on the tarmac; her eyes fixed on the road that the Prime had left from. He saw her close her eyes with smiling sigh, her hand over her heart as if to slow its beating; and this made another idea hack its way into his mental processors. Sideswipe turned to Ironhide with a maniacal grin.

"I bet you double or nothing that she'll crack first." He exclaimed cheekily. Seeing the reaction Tessa gave to Optimus' absence, he was _positive_ that there was no way he could lose; victory was all but assured. But to his surprise, Ironhide returned his grin with an overconfident smirk; his eyes just as convinced of his own win.

"I think Prime will confess first. Tessa may be unable to lie; but that doesn't mean she's not able to _withhold _a truth."

The two stared at each other for a long while before Sideswipe spoke again. "Alright, but there are conditions of this bet; higher stakes if you will." He smirked, trying to think of something he would want Ironhide to bet. "Okay, here's the deal…If Tessa confesses first and I win; you have to slap a "My Little Pony" advertisement on the Topkick for a week _and_ you have to hang a pair of fluffy pink dice off the rear view mirror the whole time."

Ironhide snorted at the idea; but true to his nature he didn't back down. "I'll agree to that. But in return, if _Optimus_ is first to admit and you _lose_; you'll have to wear a Volkswagen badge on your hood and _drive the speed limit_ for a week."

"What? But I'm a Corvette! The _speed limit_?"

"You named your conditions; these are mine. If you're going to chicken out, then I won't pay up on _either_ bet." The black mech stated calmly, his smug face showing that he already knew he'd won this battle of words; Sideswipe was too proud to be shown up.

"Fine; you're on." He snapped begrudgingly; holding out his shiny silver arm to shake on it.

Ironhide smirked at him and took the smaller Autobot's hand; the sound of metal hitting metal sounding from the contact. "Alright then; it's a deal."

"What's a deal?" came Tessa's voice. The two robots near had Spark attacks at the sound of her question; they'd almost been caught out. Ironhide cleared his vocal processors while Sideswipe sputtered some excuse.

"W-We were just…discussing what we were-were…going to do about the Decepticons!" he exclaimed; not being in entirely believable in his conviction. Tess clearly demonstrated as much, because she looked up at him with a quizzical, confuse look.

"You okay, Sideswipe?" she asked; her eyes completely void of anything but her current concern.

"He just needs to stasis for a while." Ironhide cut in, deciding to save the silver bot's bumper; after all if Sideswipe got caught out on their bet, so would he. "This Decepticon threat is getting a little concerning."

Tessa gave a nod at his explanation; her expression was one of concerned contemplation. "Yeah, I know what you mean…" she looked up at them, "I worry about you guys, you know. When you got back from Shanghai today…I was so _relieved_; the idea of you guys not being safe…scared me."

Sideswipe, having seen the faraway look Tess was getting on her face, decided to stop her train of thought before things became too heavy; she'd probably been worried enough the last few days and she wouldn't need to start it all over again. "You should get some rest. Want me to drive you home?"

She shook her head with a smile, "No, thanks. I'm not going anywhere until Optimus comes back. I don't like sitting at home while any of you are out fighting for us." She patted the wheel of Sideswipes foot reassuringly, "It isn't good for my stress levels." She laughed, trying to make light of the situation; Ironhide could hear the exhaustion in her voice. It had certainly been a long day; for _all_ of them.

"Then you'd best go to the barracks, Tessa. Humans need their rest a lot more frequently than we do." He said, pointing in the direction of the N.E.S.T barracks that the men stayed in while they were on base. Tessa had been assigned a bunk there due to the sheer number of times she'd slept there in the months that she'd been working with Lennox and his team, because there had been many instances that she'd worked late in the garage; repairing and polishing the Autobots after their war for the day had been done. She gave a nod and tried to supress a yawn.

"Thanks you guys. Go and get some rest, okay?" she smiled, "Good night."

Giving them each a gentle thud with her hand she turned slowly on her heel and made her way to find a bed within the barracks.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Much to her relief, the only dreams that Tessa had were senseless ones involving cake and beach balls; silly things that had no rhyme or reason within her head. Still, she much preferred dreams like those over the awful nightmares she'd had previously. It annoyed her that she seemed to dwell on it so often, but she decided that it was probably due to the fact that she worried _constantly_ about the safety of those she held close to her; after all she'd never been a part of a battle like this one, no matter how insignificant that part might have been.

She was a civilian standing at the edge of a war.

Opening her eyes slowly, Tessa sat up a little to take in the surroundings; the barracks that she'd slept in. There were rows of bunks lined up in perfectly symmetrical parallels, each with the same white pillow, the same itchy khaki blankets and the same silver metal frames holding them up.

It was already just past 10:00am.

She stretched languidly before reaching under the bunk for the wooden tray with her name labelled on it. Inside was a small plastic bag with clean underwear and some toiletries for her to use. She'd made sure she always had these available on base; because she never knew when she would work through the night and need a change of clothes.

She collected her things and headed off in the direction of the change rooms; there were showers and lockers there that she used to keep a N.E.S.T issue mechanic's jumpsuit. She didn't usually wear it because she had her own; but her usual one was getting a little rank and needed a wash.

Grease and oil tended to do that to fabric.

Seeing as how her hair wasn't in need of a wash, she was showered and dressed quicker than usual and she brushed her teeth over the sink in the reflective metal on the basin. Deciding to just leave her hair down for once, she quickly brushed it and became almost immediately annoyed when she noticed that it had started to curl itself into soft ringlets. It had always been a source of great annoyance to her; even as a child she'd liked _straight_ hair, because it sat much easier.

That's what she got for eating her bread crusts as a kid…

Giving a refreshed sigh, she headed over towards the hangar where she knew the Autobots were; hoping that Optimus would have returned safely by now. Running a hand through her copper-brown mane of hair, she crossed the tarmac at a fairly hurried pace; her boots thumping on the massive stretch of concrete. When she reached the entrance to the Autobots' hangar she stopped and looked for a minute before smiling with relief, her hand gripping the edge of the massive doorway. In the hangar, surrounded by his team, stood Optimus Prime; however to her surprise there was another robot standing beside him. This one was much smaller than the towering leader, and canary yellow in colour; with an expressive face and the trademark Autobot blue optics.

Swallowing her nerves at the thought of _another_ giant transforming vehicle entering her life, she started towards the group with a purpose in her step; not letting the butterflies in her stomach get the better of her. She was happy to admit; she was glad to see Optimus again; the feeling she would get whenever he was gone was unexplainable.

It was almost as if she'd feel..._incomplete_, for lack of a better word.

The group was discussing something; obviously what had happened with the Prime's conversation with the Witwicky boy he'd told her about. But they drew it to a close as she arrived and in a way she was a little glad, she wanted to make sure _he_ was okay; that nothing dangerous had happened.

"Welcome back, Chief." She smiled, looking up at him without reserve; her eyes were full, affectionate and gentle, "I'm glad you're safe."

He returned her gaze down to her, his eyes moving from her to the yellow Autobot that she kept focusing on. That's when he realized that Tessa had yet to actually _meet_ Bumblebee; he'd been with Sam the entire time she'd worked at N.E.S.T. "I'm glad that _you're_ safe." He stated calmly before gesturing to the yellow bot. "I believe you haven't yet met Sam's guardian; Bumblebee. He was among the first of us to arrive on your planet when we were searching for The AllSpark."

Tess looked over to Bumblebee and was immediately greeted with him dancing around; his fists pumping like a boxer as he belted "Eye of The Tiger" from his speakers. She couldn't help but giggle; and she decided immediately that she liked him.

"His vocal processors were damaged in our arrival," Ratchet explained, "and they still give him trouble from time to time. He prefers to speak through the radio."

"**It's – no, a pleasure really – to – meet you.**" Her attention was caught by Bumblebee once more as he mixed song lyrics, talk show lines and advertisements together to create a sentence; she found it sweet and endearingly cute.

"The pleasure's all mine, Bumblebee." She smiled, "It's good to finally meet the whole team. I'm sorry that we…haven't had a chance to meet yet."

His optics shifted upward with what she assumed to be a smile before holding out one of his fingers. She immediately understood the gesture, and reached out her hand to clasp the end of the metal appendage; Bumblebee then gently "shook her hand" with his finger. This earned another laugh from the mechanic. Yeah she _definitely_ liked this new Autobot; his humour and attitude was like that of an awkward young teenager trying to find his feet and that in itself made her smile fondly at the thought. For the next hour she delighted herself in his on-air clipped conversation and watched him play songs on his radio before Ratchet tried to get him to calm down; saying that he was just showing off. But Tessa was nothing but enthralled by Bumblebee; hell if either of her brothers had been _half_ as adorable as the yellow robot, she'd have been less likely to throttle them throughout their childhood. The memory made her chuckle to herself; it felt good to be having a light-hearted moment after so much heavy business with the Decepticons.

"Tessa." Optimus' voice sounded gently from behind her, causing her to turn to look up at him; he was leaning on one knee, his arm rested against his leg so that he could see her better. She gave him a smile and took a step closer to him, one hand placed on the metal that would have been called his shin.

"Hey there, Chief." She murmured, "How're you holding up?"

To her surprise, he gave a hissing sigh; the familiar air-valve noise ringing in her ears at this close a distance. He seemed to be distracted, like there was something on his mind; and this both saddened and worried her. "Actually, I wanted to speak to you for a moment; if I could."

"Of course." Tess replied without a moment's hesitation, her hand pressed against the metal on his leg in concern. She looked up at him with her eyebrows furrowed; her forehead knitted into a look of confusion. She turned her gaze towards the other Autobots who were currently talking amongst themselves; Optimus had clearly either already told them he wanted to speak to her alone, or they simply assumed so. She _really_ hoped it wasn't the latter, because just the _thought_ of it made her blush all the way to her nose. She returned her gaze to Optimus, hoping to fight away the rouging that freckled up on her cheeks. "Want to go for a walk?"

A smile lifted its way into his optics as he held a hand palm-up to the ground for her to climb onto. She assumed that this meant "yes" so with a smirk tugging its way into the corner of her mouth, she braced herself against his thumb and climbed up onto the giant robot's palm. She kept a firm hold of him as he stood up, slowly so as not to give her a rushing headache from the height difference, before he then proceeded towards the massive doors to exit the hangar. He kept the pace slow, the two of them taking in the mid-morning breeze. Tessa squinted a little at the harsh light and tried to block out the sun with her hands.

"Crap, that's bright…" she hissed quietly. Then in an instant, the sun was apparently blackened out before she even had the chance to register that it had happened; and as she looked up she realized that Optimus had cupped his other hand over the sun as they walked to shade her. She gave a slight giggle, and then proceeded to blush like a strawberry at just how _girlish_ the sound came out. "Thanks." She murmured.

The two continued their venture around the base in a brief silence before Tessa spoke up again. "So…what was it that you wanted to talk to me about, Chief?"

He cycled a deep intake of breathe before he answered her, his expression not one of concern; just one of uncertainty. "Sam…does not wish to be a part of this war; and I do not blame him. But I fear that soon your people will have little choice in the matter."

She pulled a surprised face as she looked up at him, "He…wouldn't help you? But…I thought he was your friend…?"

"His reaction is understandable. Sam has already played a part in this war that he had no intention of participating in the first place. This war began a long time before you came into it, Tessa." He explained as they approached one of the empty hangars.

"I wish I _had_ been there from the beginning."

Optimus' eyes snapped to her in something mixed between worry, and horror. "No, you _don't_." he responded quickly, and Tess saw his fingers twitch as if he would have clenched his fist had she not been sitting in his hand. However she didn't feel in any danger; she trusted him completely. "The things we have seen are things I would not wish on you-"

"-I had a nightmare the night you all left for Shanghai." She blurted out impulsively; clasping one hand over her mouth in shock at her own words. Optimus' face became one of concern; he knew what nightmares were, because Bumblebee had informed him that Sam sometimes still had them about Mission City. They were a negative mental reaction during the human stasis mode that were often the result of fears or concerns. From what he knew, particularly bad cases could cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror; or even despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dreams were said to usually contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror. Sufferers usually awakened in a state of distress and in some cases; be unable to return to sleep for a prolonged period of time. The idea of Tessa having suffered something like that worried him more than he would have first thought.

"What happened?" he asked her gently, lifting her into the shade of the building so that he was eye level with her.

She felt her chest cramp up at the memory of the horrible nightmare. She could hear everything so clearly, smell the fire on the burning metal bodies; see _Optimus'_ mangled form lying twisted at her feet. She gave a sharp gasp and gripped his finger tightly to steady herself.

"Tessa?" he asked with concern. She shook her head and took a deep, steady breath; trying to calm herself.

"I dreamed…that everyone died in the war. And I…couldn't stop it. I saw you…you were dying; you said we'd failed. I…I woke up screaming, I think…" she trailed of in a whisper, her fingers gently tracing circles in the curves and joints of Optimus' finger that she was currently holding onto for support.

"What did you do?" he asked gently, "After the stasis dream."

She gave a heavy sigh and looked up at him. "You remember the blanket you left with me; the one from your truck cabin?" he nodded in response to show that he followed, "I…slept with it after the nightmare. It smelled like you…so I wrapped it around me every night and slept in it…" She felt a faint pink dust itself across her nose at the childish admission; but she tried to ignore it. To her surprise, Optimus was silent for a while; then he gently lowered himself so that Tessa could easily climb down off his hand. She turned to him in worry, "What's wrong?" she asked quickly.

"I am going to show you something." He replied calmly, waiting patiently for her to climb down. Once she was out of his hand, he looked down at her. "Turn away…" he said softly, the tone in his voice cautious. She did as he asked and faced the opposite direction.

She heard the familiar noise of him transforming; the joints whirring and the hydraulics hissing together as he changed forms into what she assumed was his Peterbilt form. "Don't turn around yet." She heard him murmur from the truck, and not for a second did she doubt him; she kept her eyes straight ahead.

To her surprise there was a crackling, zapping noise that sounded from behind her. It reminded her of the noise a generator would create if it were hit by lightning; and almost unreal, electrifying sound. After a few moments the noise dulled into an electrical buzzing noise; before fizzing out completely. She waited a few seconds before speaking.

"Can I turn around now?" she asked with a small smile.

To her surprise, she felt a hand grip her shoulder; and she nearly jumped out of her skin. However a second hand gently place itself on her other shoulder; two very distinctly _human_ _hands_, and she felt a gentle breathe tickle her ear. "It's alright; calmly…It's still me." Optimus' voice was the one that graced her ear; the sound unmistakably _him_. _Oh God_ it sounded like his voice was made of butter. He slowly draped his arms over her shoulders before locking them tenderly over her collarbone; the tentative and cautious movement not falling anywhere inappropriate. "Why didn't you tell me…" he whispered into her ear, his cheek resting against the side of her head; she couldn't help but feel a slight tickle from what she assumed to be facial hair.

She took in a few deep, shuddering breathes to try and steady herself before she spoke. Her head was swimming from the contact of having his form pressed against her back; comforting and safe as his arms embraced her. "You carry everyone's burdens…" she whispered, closing her eyes to concentrate, "As long as you were safe…it was only a dream. It didn't matter."

She felt him inhale deeply through his nose, bending his face into her neck softly before speaking against her skin; the warmth of his breathe making her break out in goose bumps. "Whatever it was that you went through…it matters to _me_…" he paused for a few moments, resting his tickling chin against her shoulder; she caught a tempting glimpse of blue black hair out of the corner of her eye, but avoided the temptation to look by keeping her head straight forward. "I thought about you…when I was going to see Sam. It is…a _lacking_ feeling to be away from you. I do not understand why…but I feel _whole_ to see when you are safe."

Tess lifted a hand tentatively and placed it on his forearm; the fine hairs on the skin barely registering in her palm.

_So_…she thought, _he can feel it too_.

He was clear in his message though, whatever it was that she was feeling; it was just as new and strange to _him_ as it was to her. The territory they were venturing was uncharted. Grasping his hand gently she turned slowly in his arms, finally coming face to face with a human.

His frame was just a few inches less than 6 feet, with broad shoulders and pale olive skin. His tousled mop of dark, blue-black hair trailed finely into a thin strip of hair along his chin into an almost trimmed goatee; his jaw was strong and his full, blue-black eyebrows frame a pair of neon eyes so blue that they glowed. He wore a jacket that bore the same pattern and colour scheme as she Peterbilt behind him, but she did not take much notice; it was his incredible _features_ that were leaving her breathless right now.

She gently lifted her hands within his arms and cupped his face in them gently, her eyes examining him in disbelief. "…How…?" she whispered.

"This…" he murmured back to her, his baritone voice rumbling her entire being with his fluidity, "is called a Holoform. We use them as drivers in our vehicle forms when necessary…But I confess; I am using it for the purpose of _this_…" he gestured to their current embrace; he was using the creation to be able to hold her.

"But the Autobot…is still you…?"

He nodded slowly before he took her wrists gently in his hands to make solid eye contact with her. "The Holoform is only…an extension of myself; it is not the _real_ me…" Tessa understood what he was saying. It was nothing but a solid illusion; a dream made flesh, so to speak. But before she could elaborate the thought; he continued in a gentle whisper. His hands released her wrists and raised themselves to grasp around the sides of her neck, "…but even though this is not…my _true_ form…it can grant me things my other modes cannot…"

Tessa's breathe caught in her throat as she felt his thumb gently trace the junction just underneath her ear; his fingers playing vaguely with the strands of her loose, cascading hair.

"Such as…moments…like this…" he murmured, slowly inching his face towards hers; his gaze focused on her mouth.

Her head was reeling, and her skin felt as if it was going to fly off her bones; was this really happening? Her eyes were half lidded in a daze; but they would not fully close…

Cradling the back of her head gently with the fingers of his right hand at the nape of her neck and cupping her cheek with the left, Optimus paused tentatively; his lips hovering over hers tenderly. He softly ran a thumb over her mouth before moving in once more; before gently, and feather-lightly brushing her bottom lip between both of his. He moved forward to apply pressure and kiss her, but the instant before he did so; there was a shrill whine that came from the Peterbilt form. _An alarm_!

He reeled upright; his eyes alert and frantic and unseeing. Something was wrong.

Her mind still spinning from their almost, _almost_ kiss; Tess tried to bring him back to reality. "Optimus? What's happening; what's wrong?"

He turned to her with a horrified expression, "Megatron. He's been revived; there are Decpticon signals being detected!" Suddenly the Peterbilt's radio roared to life and she heard Optimus' voice sound an alert that she had no doubt the others could hear from where ever they may be. "Sound the Alert! Autobots! We have an emergency! SOS, _roll out immediately_!"

He spoke with extreme urgency, the truck's engine rumbling to life like an erupting volcano. "Optimus! What's going on? What does this mean?" Tess asked frantically; having never seen the Autobots have to respond to an _immediate_ emergency before. Optimus' Holoform turned to her quickly.

"They'll go after Sam. We're going to need to intercept them; we have to leave immediately." He placed a hand gently on her cheek, and she sensed the urgency for his departure, "Stay safe; I will come back to you." He promised.

Tessa gave him a hasty nod before the Holoform disintegrated into a cloud of what appeared to be tiny electric sparks; something that probably would have fascinated her if she had not been in her current situation. She watched the Peterbilt make a screeching take-off and roar viciously down the tarmac, past another hangar that the other Autobots proceeded to stream out of; with a new yellow Camaro that she guess was Bumblebee trailing alongside them. All of them were going so fast that she easily understood how they weren't like regular vehicles. She felt a horrible sense of dread cramp into her chest; her skin prickling with worry, but her lips tingling with the remnant sensation of the brush of the Prime's.

She clasped her hands to her heart with all her might and closed her eyes.

"Please…_please_ stay safe…"


	15. Meaning In Tragedy

**Well, my wonderful readers; I apologise for any grammar errors because I am currently running on an hour and a half of sleep. I went to bed at 4:45 this morning, right after posting the previous Chapter, and then my 3-year-old brother woke me up at 6:30am to open his birthday presents with him.**

**Needless to say I am dead on my feet DX**

**This chapter was hard to write because; in a way I guess it's a filler chapter.**

**Maybe I'm just trying to put off what's going to be in the next chapter….. ***_**looming dread**_*** **

**Anyhow as always guys, I hope you enjoy it. I'm so sorry if it's boring :(**

As fast as her legs would carry her, Tess ran for the main hangar where she knew Lennox and Epps would be. Her heart was beating like crazy and her mind was racing; she'd just watched the Autobots drive away at breakneck speed to answer a distress that she didn't even know the purpose of.

_Decepticon_, she thought, _enough said_.

She reached the main control hangar and was greeted with the sight and sound of people rushing, running; frantically trying to control things. She gasped as she tried to weave her way through the mass towards Lennox and Epps who were both underneath the metal walkway on the opposite side of the hangar. Lennox had his khaki camouflage print jacket over his arm and was talking worriedly to Epps; the two getting very animated in the conversation.

"Lennox!" she called, running over to them, "Wh-what's going on? The Autobots just got up and left! What happens now?"

Epps put a hand on her shoulder before speaking, "What happens now is that _you_ need to calm yourself down. This is military stuff; let _us_ deal with it, okay?"

Tess bit her lip uncertainly and nodded, but it didn't feel right. They wouldn't have left for something that just "_needed to be dealt with_" would they? She felt so useless; she was no soldier. Unable to slow her hammering heart, she ran a hand through her hair before shoving her fingers into her pocket; a sudden panic crossing her when she remembered that she'd eaten her last packet of Skittles the night before. She felt stupid for being hung up over something as petulant as lollies; but the fact that her body chemically relied on the sugar made it something of a withdrawal when she didn't have them. This meant she was going to have a _massive_ headache later.

"Did they say where they were going? Or where the Decepticon stuff was…?" she asked curiously, crossing her arms over her front and scrunching her shoulders; hoping that that motion in her body would help still her current worry. However before either of her friends could answer, there was a loud exclamation and a yell.

"Major!" someone called urgently. Taking a look to Tess, Lennox threw his jacket over his shirt, adjusting it as he took off towards the platform with Epps close at his side. This time she didn't wait around; she followed the two of them, trying to found out what was happening. It felt like the world had turned upside down in the span of only a few moments; and it scared her.

"Major, incoming SOS from Autobots!" called a man rom up on the metal walkway; having obviously just been watching the computer screens; or overseeing someone who had been. Lennox and Epps stopped from their sprint and walked quickly towards the computers at ground level. Both they and Tessa turned their heads to hear from young Asian man up on the railing. He leaned heavily on the bars with a Bluetooth microphone set on his ear; his expression worried and urgent and he called over the noise to Lennox.

"Multiple Decepticon contacts in motion! Vicinity, eastern United States, sir!"

Tessa saw Lennox bite his lip before breathing a curse word to himself. He joined the group at the computers on ground level with Epps watching over his shoulder. She couldn't help but listen in. Normally Tessa was not the type to try and intrude on something that she knew wasn't her place, but she was so worried about what sort of danger the Autobots might have been heading into; and what dangers their friend Sam might be facing.

She didn't understand a lot of the data that was on the screens, but she did recognise several dots on the map to be locational markers; obviously the Autobots who were currently heading to particular destinations.

"The Autobots are on the move; splitting into two teams, sir." Explained the man on the computer as Lennox leaned in worriedly to view the screens closer, "They're not answering our calls, and they're heading to New York and Philadelphia."

To Tessa's surprise, Lennox's response was quick and decided; like he'd already suspected what he was going to do in this situation. _Of course_, she realized, _this is what they __train__ for_!

"All right, full weapons deployment." He said calmly before raising his voice so the rest of the soldiers could hear his order, "Wheels up in 20 minutes!"

The soldiers began to gather their gear in a mad rush of organized chaos. Tess didn't know what to do; Lennox and Epps had disappeared to prepare their things and help organize their comrades. Men were running in and out of the hangar, phone lines were ringing and people were shouting. In the hubbub, she accidently bumped into someone and was both surprised and relieved to see that it was Graham; the English soldier she'd spoke to several times before. She grabbed his sleeve before he could get lost in the crowd.

"Graham! What's going on? Where are they going?" she asked quickly, looking around at the chaotic hangar activity around her.

"We're heading out to the N.E.S.T base in New Jersey; we'll be able to acquire reinforcements there and back the Autobots up." He replied, placing a hand on her shoulder at his next words, "You just stay here and stay safe, alright Tessa."

"But Graham-!" she exclaimed quickly; however before she could say anything he was caught up in a group of soldiers running in their direction.

"I'm sorry, Tess! I have to go. Take care!" he called out to her, before turning and running with the others towards the waiting aircrafts.

_Take care_? Tessa thought to herself. _Stay safe? Don't get into trouble; keep an eye on things here_? Why did she always have to be so useless? She was always the defenceless little civilian; waiting for her soldiers to come home to her while she twiddled her thumbs on the sidelines. Her fists clenched at her side in anger at herself.

_Not this time_, she thought; _I'm not going to sit by and __wait_!

She turned and spotted Lennox running towards the open aired hangar door. A bulky supply vest and parachute brace were already equipped on his body and he carried his weapons in hand. She had to move quickly to try and catch him; ducking clumsily in between the veteran warriors of the N.E.S.T military.  
>"Lennox!" she called over the noise, trying to get to him; he was only inches in front of her. She shot out a hand and grabbed at the sleeve of his army greens, "Lennox wait!"<p>

He turned quickly and gave her a slightly exasperated and hurried look; she could understand as much, he was trying to get his team into the warzone. "Tess, I can't talk now; we have to le-"

"-Take me with you." She said loudly as her eyes bore firmly into his.

He paused for a second before shaking his head, "No Tess. This isn't your job. Go back inside." He started to tug his arm from her grasp, but she held tighter; a determined and serious look on her face.

"I can't stand the thought of sitting around waiting to have more sleepless nights worrying about you guys! I'm coming _with you_!" her eyes did not break from his and Lennox was surprised by the amount of conviction that she had in her voice. However they were not going somewhere that was safe for her, and he couldn't risk her being hurt. Not only would he regret it for the rest of his life if she was harmed; but he had a strong suspicion that if he put her in the path of danger, Optimus might break his "never kill a human" rule on him. He shook his head.

"Tess, please! You can't ask me to take you into a-"

"-It's cute that you think I'm _asking_." She retorted. Her face was flushed with her uncharacteristic stand and Lennox could see the fear of the unknown in her eyes; but she was prepared to fight him on this.

She wasn't going to wait idly by while _they_ risked their lives.

He looked at her with uncertain and assessing eyes, before he finally raised his free arm in a shrug; an exasperated and exhausted sigh escaping him. "Get onto the plane; Epps will give you a parachute brace. Don't worry we're not jumping off, it's just for safety; now just _go_ and get moving!" he growled at her, the true stress of their mission showing in his features. Tessa really didn't blame him; he was about to send his men, and now _her_, into dangerous territory. She hadn't a _doubt_ about the amount of pressure the poor man probably had on his shoulders, and just the thought of it made her heart heavy with pity. Watching him run ahead of her, she made her way into the back of one of the aircrafts; looking for the familiar face of Epps.

She spotted him and made her way over to the dark skinned soldier, weaving in between his comrades who were pulling equipment over their greens. Epps seemed confused when he saw her, raising a hand to stop her. "Whoa, whoa, hey; what are you doing on board? We're taking off any minute now. You gotta go back inside, girl." He started, but she shook her head to stop him in his tracks.

"I'm coming too." She said simply.

"What? No, no that's dangerous; Tess look I'm sorry, but you're not qualified to go with us!"

"Damn it Epps I _know_ that! But I can't sit by and wait to hear that one of you has been killed! If anything happens to me, it's on my back! Besides, I already told Lennox; and neither of you is going to stop me." To Epps' surprise her gaze lowered, relenting before she looked him in the eye again; her expression one of conflict, "Please don't fight me on this Epps. I can't stay her without you guys."

He gave her a stern, scolding look that was usually reserved for when his kids were misbehaving. "I don't like this," he said shortly, "and I don't have to."

She nodded. "I understand."

He gave a heavy sigh before reaching under the metal bench on the wall of the plane and pulling out the chute harness. "Here, step into this." He said, showing her the space for her legs to go in. He pulled the brace up over her waist and lifted the straps over her shoulders so that he could fasten them appropriately. He did all of this with such speed and efficiency that Tessa couldn't help but wonder just how many times a day they probably did this.

Once she was all buckled up, Epps slapped her firmly on the shoulder. "You look like a fighter pilot in that blue jumpsuit." He said to her, though from his facial expression she couldn't tell if this was a good thing or a bad one. Then he gripped her shoulder gently and pointed to the massive lowered back panel of the plane. "You'll be in the cabin front with Lennox ," he explained, "the army dogs back here have to be prepared for deploy straight from the plane if something goes wrong; so it's too risky for you to be here, okay?"

She nodded understandingly. "Okay. Thank you Epps; I know me being here isn't something you guys are happy about, but I'm done watching from the sidelines." She patted him firmly on the shoulder before she exited the plane and swung a right alongside it instead. She spotted the cabin door which had been lowered at the ready. When she stepped aboard, the pilots didn't even look up; they were too busy with their systems check to notice a short, indistinct little brunette taking a seat in the small space behind them.

It wasn't very long before she heard Lennox outside the door, calling out to the people on the tarmac. "Alright get ready! We're good to go!" he yelled. Tess saw his figure stoop through the doorway due to his much higher frame than hers before the door sealed shut and he passed her to take a seat on the right hand side of the cabin. He looked over at her with a blank expression, and she couldn't help but think that he was annoyed with her.

_Not that I could really blame him_…she thought as she watched out the window. Lennox and Epps spent their lives trying to keep people like herself from getting caught in the cross-fire of the Autobot-Decepticon war, and here she was trying to run straight into the middle of it with no experience to back her up; no battle capabilities to call on to defend her.

She was an idiot, and she knew it. But one thought made her unable to back down, incapable of turning around and running away; something she had to keep telling herself over and over again so that she wouldn't hide from the fear.

_I won't be the weak link_.

Lennox broke her train of thought by holding his hand out across the empty space of the plane; a packet of chewing gum in his hand. "It will help stop your ears from popping when the plane takes off, believe me." He explained, gesturing to his own ears.

She took a piece with a smile, "Thank you, Lennox. I…I know you probably aren't very happy with me right now…but I can't say that I'm sorry for my choices; because I'm not."

He gave a small smile and shot her a teasing look as the aircraft picked up speed and took off from the tarmac, making Tessa's head spin a little at the lift. "That blatant honesty of yours will get you into trouble one day, just you watch." He smiled.

In response, she snorted at the comment, "Yeah tell me something I don't know. My old man has been saying that to me my entire _life_." She chuckled, feeling her stomach drop as the craft changed altitudes. The two shared a light-hearted and distracting laugh between themselves before a silence settled in between the two; only the roar of the plane's engines could be heard. After a while Lennox turned to her with a calm, but perplexed look on his face.

"I still don't like the thought of you being anywhere near the danger zones, Tessa. I think Optimus would probably skin me alive if he knew."

Tessa felt a pink blush dust itself across her cheeks at the thought of Lennox being clued in to her subtle feelings for the Autobot leader. Unfortunately for her, _he_ had also noticed the scarlet that was flushed across her nose; and it only confirmed the suspicions that he'd already had. There was something, however small, that was growing between them.

It was a long flight from Diego Garcia to the New Jersey N.E.S.T base, and eventually after a while they resolved not to say anything; both of their minds focused on what lay ahead of them when they landed.

Eventually Tessa noticed that one of the pilots was talking into the head piece he wore with something between shock and anger; and she tried to ignore it, whatever it was. But then she head the co-pilot called out to the Major who was sitting on the opposite side of the cabin to her.

"Sir, there's an urgent message!" he yelled over the engine, "I've transferred it to your receivers; just put the muffs on."

Lennox and Tess exchanged glanced before her pulled the earpiece over his hair and called over the noise of the plane. "This is Lennox-" he started, but his expression quickly turned to one of horror; almost disbelief. The person on the other end obviously didn't wait for the Major to say anything before terminating the transmission, because Lennox didn't actually say anything before he slid the call gear down onto his neck; his expression one of someone who'd just had the world ripped out from under their feet.

"Will?" she asked, leaning over to place a hand on his arm in support; he looked like he'd been physically struck. She didn't often call him by his first name, but his sudden change in attitude frightened her.

Something was very wrong…

"Lennox!" she called, trying to snap him out of it by shaking his arm, "What's wrong; has something happened?" She had moved to the seat beside him, looking up at him with an extremely worried expression. His daze lifted only a little so that he could turn to face her, and to Tessa's horror his eyes were glistening with unfalling tears.

"T…Tess-he…" his voice sounded like it was going to crack, and she felt a swell of dread rise into her throat as he continued. "Optimus…Optimus is dead…"

No sooner than the words had left his lips; Tessa felt her heart drop 30,000 miles to the ground below.


	16. The Dirt Whispered

**MY GAWSH THIS CHAPTER WAS SO PAINFUL TO WRITE!**

**Before any haters start on "why are you making this story so serious/dark/emo/whatever" please bear in mind that I'm following the movieverse fairly closely; and if you recall-THE MOVIES WERE NOT EXACTLY FAIRIES AND RAINBOW DROPS! The movie was serious, Doomsday/End of the world as we know it sort of stuff.**

**So you'll forgive me if sometimes it lacks humour. ANYWAYS!**

**It's sad, it's a little depressing and Galloway gets a good… "talking to" ;P**

**I hope you enjoy it; because I'm going to BED!**

_This can't be happening_…she thought, _this isn't __actually__ happening right_?

Tessa twisted her shirt in her hands as she clenched at her stomach; trying to will away the unbearable ache that had settled itself there. She stood outside one of the hangars of the New Jersey base with the other operatives of N.E.S.T who were waiting on the return of the fallen Autobot. She was looking over at the slowly sinking sun and felt her heart doing exactly the same thing.

Lennox and Epps were in the control central of the base; meeting with several of their comrades and _apparently_ someone from the office of the JSC. She wasn't really certain, but in all honesty she didn't really care. Her chest was aching with panic and dread. She couldn't allow herself to believe the news. Optimus just _couldn't_ be dead.

Anything but that…

She was torn between pacing and standing stationary against the hangar; and eventually she'd moved back and forth many times that it was a miracle she hadn't worn a groove into the concrete.

Nothing made sense in her mind; nothing clicked together. Her head was throbbing with a massive headache from her lack of sugar, making her feel snarky and irritable; likely to bite the head off someone who looked at her funny. Tangling her fingers delicately into the chain of her grandmother's necklace, she tried to ignore the pulsing pain in her skull by watching the others on the base.

Some were busying themselves with vehicle repairs, others were practising field-stripping a weapon; there even several who were training on a firearms range.

However Tess didn't feel a pull to do _any_ of these things; she felt a strange emptiness in the pit of her stomach every time her thoughts began to wander to what Lennox had said to her when they had arrived at the N.E.S.T base.

"_They've split up; Bumblebee and the twins took Sam somewhere safe." He told her as they watched the men unload the craft. They had all been told about Prime's death and it had obviously hit them all hard._

_Tess understood that she wasn't the only felled by the blow; these men lived and died with the Autobots as comrades, she was just the second-rate garage hand._

_She took in a deep breath before responding to him, trying to keep her voice steady, "What about the others…?"_

"_Safe. Ironhide and Ratchet are on their way here now; Jolt and Sideswipe are with them too." He replied, knowing full well about Tessa's strong friendships with most of the bots. He felt his heart wrench when she gave a shuddering sigh and closed her eyes for a brief second._

"_What…what about Optimus'….body…" she cringed as she said the last word, as if afraid that saying it would make it real; and judging from the physical reaction she gave, he'd say that was exactly the way she felt._

"_They're airlifting him back here. It will probably take them until sun-down to get back to base."_

_Tess placed a hand over her heart, hoping to shield it from the pain that was merciless in its assault on the beating muscle; before she then looked up at Lennox and shot her hand out to him. She gripped the front of his buttoned shirt and pulled him into a fierce hug before he could even speak. She held him as tightly as she could without saying a word, hoping to quell both of their pain. _

"_I'm sorry…" she whispered eventually, her face buried into his shoulder._

_No tears escaped her, because in her mind she knew; crying would not bring him back. She still had something to prove to all of these men; that she wasn't the snivelling little civilian that was always in distress. She wanted to be as strong and proud as they were._

_To her surprise, Lennox wrapped his arms around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze before they broke apart. He looked her in the eye sadly and placed a hand on her head warmly; a gesture that reminded her of her brothers._

"_It wasn't your fault Tessa. You didn't do anything." He said to her firmly._

"_I know…" she replied sadly before her eyes darted sideways, narrowed at a sudden thought. The anger that Lennox saw flash across her face for only the briefest of seconds was enough for him to worry about her, "It was the Decepticons' fault…"_

"Incoming!" came a yell from the tarmac.

Tess was pulled from her thoughts by the voice, and felt her gut tie itself into a Windsor knot when she looked up at the glowing, orange sky. A heavy duty lifting chopper had appeared as a tiny black dot on the horizon, but it was slowly growing in size.

"L-Lennox!" she called into the hangar, her husky voice cracking from the octave, "He's-They've brought Optimus!" her voice sounded thick with the resistance to her own tears, but she got the message across. Lennox and Epps gathered the men from the hangar and they all began to make their way onto the tarmac; ready to pay their respects and say goodbye to a comrade.

She spotted Ratchet, Sideswipe, Jolt and Ironhide approaching down the tarmac in their Alt modes; having clearly also been informed of the chopper's arrival. Her heart went out to them; they had known the Autobot leader for a long time…

By the time the military copter was able to be made out clearly, the sun was just beginning to slip beyond the horizon; casting an angry orange hue over the base. Tessa watched in horror as the clasps carrying the precious cargo were released and the body of Optimus Prime dropped lifelessly onto the concrete. The noise the metal made when it landed was a screeching, thundering crash; and the sparks that grinded briefly to life frightened her. Her knees felt weak and her heart felt so heavy that it was a wonder she was still breathing from the weight of it. She had no control over what her body did next, because it pulled forward of its own will; like a magnet was guiding her without her consent.

She knelt down beside Optimus' face and felt her tears pulling at the corner of her eyes.

There was no light in his optics; no life left in them…but she gave him a laugh as she tried to stop her throat from closing up in anguish.

"Come on, Chief…" she choked, "You can tell them it's all a hoax now. Get up. Come on, show them you were just faking." She gently shoved at his helmet a few time; repeating phrases along these lines. However it wasn't long before her pushes turned into punches, and her jests turned into sobs; she finally started to cry.

"God damn it Optimus, _wake up_! Don't you _dare_ do this! WAKE _UP_ DAMN IT!" she screeched, ignoring the pulsating headache in her brain as she shuffled closer to him on the tarmac; her hand reaching up to cup his cheek, "…please…?"

She could feel the eyes of the N.E.S.T soldiers upon them, but she didn't care; right now her world did not extend beyond the alien Peterbilt. Her mind swam with grief and her heart ached at the thought of their almost kiss; at the possibilities of what could have been between them.

She heard the four Autobots on the opposite side of her transform from their vehicle modes and into their true forms, but she didn't look up at them; she couldn't. Their faces would make it too real; make it hurt too much. "…please don't be dead…" she whispered, cradling what she could of his face into her hands; rocking back and forth in anguish as she felt hot tears trail down her cheeks.

All of a sudden her attention was seized rather viciously by a group of Hummers approaching the area; and they were mounted with weapons. She gasped as they circled around the Autobots with the guns pointed at them; and she got to her feet in shock. She ran to where Ironhide and Sideswipe were, standing between them and the loaded militia.

"Wh-what are you _doing_? Don't shoot! What's wrong with you?" she yelled; her voice high and panicked with the fear that was coiled in her chest.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sideswipe seethed angrily, discreetly moving to stand in front of Tessa; shielding her from the guns that were aimed in their general direction.

Ironhide looked to be _far_ more furious than the others, his rage emanating from him in violent waves. "You _dare_ point a gun at me?" he roared angrily. Tess gasped in horror at the scuffle that seemed about to unfold between the men and the robots, "You want a piece of me?" he stepped forward with his cannons aiming and ready; his eyes glowing so vibrantly that they almost frightened her, "I will tear you apart!"

To her relief Lennox came rushing over, screaming at the soldiers to lower their firearms, and she stepped away from the circle over towards him; watching him beat his hands against the hood of one of the vehicles. He and another soldier had a brief, argumentative exchange of words before the Hummer's passenger door opened. To her discontent, the Director who'd insulted her; _Galloway_, was the one who exited the vehicle.

"Your N.E.S.T team is deactivated, Major." He said sternly, not having even shut the vehicle door before beginning his onslaught to Lennox. He turned towards the Autobots and the N.E.S.T operatives who had congregated around them protectively, "You are to cease anti-Decepticon operations, and return to Diego Garcia; pending further orders."

Tess felt her heart skip a beat at his words, but not from fear or nerves; she was just plain annoyed. It seemed that whenever this man showed up, things got _fucked over_ and went to shit. However she tried to calm herself; _it's not your place, Tessa_, she thought to herself.

To her relief, Lennox quickly rebutted the Director's demand.

"No, we take our orders directly from Chairman Morshower, sir." He snapped.

She assumed that this had to have been the member of the JSC that she'd seen him camera-converse with. To her dismay, the Major's argument was continued by the thin, older man in a rather smart assed; condescending tone.

"Well, I'll see your Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and I will raise you, a President of the United States." He reached a hand into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out a folded piece of paper before raising it in a "look what I got" gesture, "I have operational command now.

_What the hell does that piece of paper prove_? She thought irritably, _could just be a letter from his fucking __grandma__ for all we know_! She felt her blood rising again and fought to keep her anger down; it was difficult given her current stress level right now. _Easy Tess, this is not your place to argue…keep it cool…_

Galloway was now addressing the soldiers once again; that _holier-than-thou_ tone grated her patience in a_ll_ the wrong ways. "An alien blood feud has been brought to our shores for which our soldiers are paying the price." He turned and pointed an accusing finger, ignoring Tessa who was right near he and the soldiers, at the Autobots as his voice rose angrily, "The secret is _out_! This is _our_ war now! And we will win it as we always have; with a co-ordinated military strategy."

To the left and behind of her, Ratchet gave a drawling, this-guy-is-a-dumbass tone as he retorted to his comrades, "This fool is terribly misinformed." Tess probably would have laughed at the comment, had she not turned around to look at Ratchet and caught sight of Optimus' beaten, lifeless body; instead her heart weighed itself down once more.

This time it was Lennox's turn to speak; his voice defensive and angry. "You're gonna need every asset that you've got-"

"-What we _need_ is to draw up battle plans" Galloway interrupted, cutting him off "while we explore every possible diplomatic solution."

Lennox's eyes narrowed angrily, "Like what, handing over the kid?"

_He wouldn't_? Tess thought worriedly; knowing full well that Sam's protection had been the reason Optimus had died, at least that's what Ratchet had told her when they had arrived at the base. _That kid is the whole reason they're fighting for, surely Galloway wouldn't…_?

The Director's silence gave him away. She clenched her fist in an attempt to curb her rapidly growing disdain for the man in front of her.

"All options are being considered." He said simply, seeming unable to hide the condescending smirk at the corner of his mouth.

_Not your place to say anything, don't say anything…_

To her relief; Graham did so in her stead, causing Galloway to stop his path back to the vehicle to take note. "Whatever the Decepticons are after, this is just the start." He said calmly; the simple wisdom in his words hitting home with Tessa.

Instead of being aggressive, Lennox tried reasoning with the man; his voice almost _pleading_ for him to understand what was at stake. "There is no _negotiating_ with them-"

"-I'm ordering you to _stand down_!" Galloway hissed, standing nose to nose with Lennox; aggression and control written all over his face. She felt her anger rise at his idiotic _insolence_! She had to fight with every fibre of her being to control her hurt, and anger; to stop it from being aimed at someone it shouldn't be.

_Not your place. Not your place._ She thought rapidly to herself, trying to stem the fury that she could feel bubbling in her chest.

The Director reached up and ripped what had to have been a medal, or an honorary title patch of some kind from the front of Lennox's jacket. "You won't be needing this anymore!" he snapped. "Get your _assets_ back to base!" he turned and went to take the handle of the Hummer door in his hand as he watched Lennox furiously.

_Not your place, not your __place__!_

"And take that pile of scrap metal back to Diego Garcia."

_**BANG!**_

Before any of them could have blinked, Tessa had thrown her full weight into Galloway, causing him to collide with the side of the vehicle; before she seized the back of his expensive suit collar and pulled backwards with all her strength. He brutally landed flat on his back with the expression of a kicked puppy; with Tess standing over him wearing an expression of pure _murder_.

"You limp dicked, pencil pushing, ignorant _FUCK_!" she screamed violently, her auburn brown hair glowing like pure raging fire in the late sun; her eyes ablaze with blind fury, "That fucking _scrap metal_ gave up his life for people like you! If you _EVER_ disrespect him like that again; I will rip your nut sac off like a _fucking paper towel_! Do you understand me you ass kissing, son of bitch!"

"Tess! Stop! Calm down!" Epps took hold of her arms and tried to force her away, hoping to prevent her from killing Galloway; despite how much they all hated him.

The Director had climbed back onto his feet, trying and failing to remain dignified before approaching the seething; blindly enraged you woman. He gave her a disgusted and hateful look. "You just made the worst mistake of your life." He growled furiously at her.

She spat on him.

"Go fuck yourself with a wooden spoon." She hissed dangerously, her face was stitched into a raging and the violent expression on her features was counteracted by the pained tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket he wiped his face before glaring at her; then he turned and got into the vehicle. "Let's go." He snapped angrily.

Watching Galloway and his entourage drive off, Epps turned to look down at Tessa; Lennox had also come over to check on her. She was red in the face, though whether this was from anger or embarrassment they couldn't tell. Epps noticed that she had growing tears in her eyes; her eyes red and watery.

"Tess…" he started.

"I know, I know; I'm sorry!" she choked thickly before breaking down into sobs in the dark skinned man's arms; her hands curled tightly into fists against his chest as she cried. Epps could do nothing but draw his big arms around her and just hold her. He turned to Lennox with a sympathetic and annoyed look.

"I really don't like that dude." He said to Lennox, who rolled his eyes a little in a "well duh" gesture, "He's an ass_hole_."

"I'm sorry…" Tessa squeaked into Epps' chest; her voice muffled by both the cloth of his shirt, and the tears that hounded her.

Lennox gave a heavy sigh and rubbed her back firmly, letting her get out what had built up in her system. He and Epps had both seen the subtle blossoming in Tessa and Optimus' relationship, and to have the possibilities and maybes ripped out from under them; had to be killing her.

There was a brief moment of quiet before they heard a voice addressing the alien robots over the speakers; echoing throughout the base.

"_Autobots, report to hangar for transport_."

Ratchet turned to the massive black weapons specialist with a serious and logical tone in his voice. "Ironhide, we should leave this planet."

The mech looked over at the yellow medic-bot before turning to watch Tessa. She had left the grasp of the soldiers and had made her way over to the body of their fallen leader. He saw the way she ran her hand over the rim of his helmet; her face streaked with what the humans called _tears_ as she tenderly traced the curves and shapes of his facial plates. He'd seen the looks that the Prime had given her; even if only subtle and underdeveloped. No matter what the relationship had been, or _could_ have been; she had clearly important to the leader.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, he lowered his voice to a gentle; saddened tone as he addressed the medic.

"That's not what Optimus would want." He murmured, gesturing to the human female. Ratchet followed his gesture to see Tessa having taken a seat on the ground, resting her head against the metal of the now off-lined Autobot.

Ironhide was right.


	17. Author's Note 2

**Heya everybody :)**

**This is just a quick Author's Note (**_**Yes I know you guys are hanging out for the next chapter, don't worry it won't be a long wait I promise**_**) anywho, I wanted to let everybody know that I now have a Facebook Fanpage for Primary Mechanisms.**

**I would LOVE for everybody to join it; because I've created it so that you guys can converse, throw ideas around and just plain bask in the nerdy glory of Transformers Fanfiction :)**

**Please don't leave me out in the dark guys; I ADORE hearing from you all!**

**Here is the web address (**_**minus the spaces of course**_**) for you to go to;**

**wwwfacebookcom /pages /Transformers-Primary-Mechanisms/130978416994832**

**In any case, I REALLY hope to see you guys on there; so if you have a Facebook please add the page so the Forum Fun can begin!**

**Much love everybody, Next chapter will be up soon.**

**Candi xx**


	18. By The Way

**Sorry about the wait guys! I've been really busy the last few days and I haven't had the time to sit down and write lately!**

**Eh… I dunno how I feel about this chapter. **

**I wanted to have a show of acceptance between Jolt and Tessa in this one; so I hope I accomplished that alright for you guys.**

**I don't want to drag out Optimus being offline for too long, because I don't want you guys to think I'm getting boring; the best is still yet to come!**

**I would also like to make it known that because of the deep romantic nature of this fic, there will possible be a few lemons in later chapters. DON'T GET EXCITED JUST YET THOUGH because Tessa and Optimus still have **_**A LOT**_** of growing in there relationship to do yet, so I can assure you that the lemons WON'T BE ANY TIME SOON!**

**Even then, I don't know whether they'll be particularly explicit or not because I've never written one before, and I also want their relationship to be about commitment on a non-physical level rather than a sexual one.**

**Anyway, enough ranting; I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. (And please; ignore the grammar errors; I am once again writing on minimal sleep hahaha)**

**Sorry about the wait!**

Tessa had yet to move from the side of the fallen Autobot.

Everyone else on the base had things that required their attention, as much as they hadn't wanted to attend to them; even Epps and Lennox had eventually been forced to leave her there on the tarmac. But she didn't mind; if anything she hadn't even noticed.

She'd run out of tears already, and the sun had set quite a few hours ago; but still she sat beside the body of Optimus. It was a hard feeling for her to cope with; Tessa had never really _lost_ anybody in her life before.

Even when her Gran had died, it hadn't been this hard; mostly due to the fact that she had been stricken with cancer for a very long time. Her death had been saddening but not entirely unexpected.

As her thoughts wandered to the death of her grandmother, her hand instinctively lifted to fiddle with the fine, white gold chain around her throat; and the tiny plain cross that hung from it. It was something Tess had always kept on her person, she never removed it because it was a final statement of her grandmother's love; it was special. _Just like you, Chief_…she thought; looking over at him. To see his face so void of its usual expressiveness, to have seen his one glowing fibre-optic eyes now lacking of any depth; had been enough to near break her heart.

She couldn't help but feel for the "maybes" and "what ifs" that were playing through her head.

What if she'd said something sooner?

What if they'd had more time?

What if she'd been able to _do_ something to save him?

Her heart ached at what could have grown between them; had they had the chance to let it…

With a heavy, shaking sigh Tessa decidedly reached her hands behind her neck and unclasped her grandmother's cross; then gently drew the fine chain out from under her hair and held it carefully. She looked around slowly; taking in the darkness of the base that the floodlights didn't reach, before she stood up and put a hand on Optimus' cheek.

"Sorry about this…" she whispered into what she assumed would have been the equivalent of his ear.

With that she slowly walked around him before gently taking grip of the metal on his arm and pulled herself up, tentatively and cautiously trying to find solid, unobtrusive footing on his lifeless form. She ever-so-softly she made her way from his shoulder to his midsection, gently sitting on the metal there. She noticed a very small logo on the lower part of his chest in front of her; the symbol of the Autobots. But where it once glowed a vibrant, crystalline shade of blue, it was now dull, grey and lifeless; the Energon that once powered it having ebbed away just like the Prime's life force…

Looking a little higher up his chest, she saw that it was split into two parts of the Peterbilt's windshield; the windscreen wipers were still attached as well. She followed the crease between the two windows with her eyes before they rested on a small piece of metal in the middle of them. It was some sort of narrow metal bar and there were several small, riveted holes in the centre; out of view because when looked at from the front, they were sideways. Smiling sadly she looked up at the black sky as she gently pressed a hand on his chest metal, bracing herself as she leaned towards the holed bar before she looked at what she was reaching for.

"This is very special, Chief…" She whispered; acting as though he could hear her perfectly, "I want you to keep it safe for me. Think of it…as a homecoming present; after all…" she had to pause to stop her voice from cracking with emotion, "…you came back to me, just…just like you promised…"

She drew in a deep breathe in an attempt to still her heart as she looped the fine chain through one of the riveted holes in the bar a few times to secure it and then re-joined the clasp. The tiny cross was barely visible against the intricacy of his metalwork; but it was there nonetheless.

Whatever afterlife they believed in on Cybertron, if there was one at all; Tess hoped that her Gran would watch over him there…and keep him safe.

A breeze rolled across the base, and not for the first time that night; she shivered. She'd already untied the sleeves of her jumpsuit and pulled them over her arms, but the fabric provided little protection.

Tess rubbed her arms with her hands to try and get some friction before she lowered the top half of her body to rest her face on the red metal of Optimus' chest. The metal was chilling against her skin, but she ignored the goose-bumps for the warm feeling in her heart that was there from being close to him; even if he was…_gone_… She stayed there long enough to lose track of time, just listening to the night; the sounds of the base and the people that were still working, to the sounds of the crickets that filled the darkness around them.

She inched up along the fallen Autobot's form so that she could rest comfortably on his bulky chest, her chin rested softly on her hands so that she could see his face; just so that she could see _him_.

"Thank you for coming back to me…" she whispered sleepily, "…even if it was only so that…I could say goodbye…"

Trying to seek shelter from the wind, she tucked herself into one of the metal grooves of his form and, eventually, fell asleep…

-0-0-0-0-0-

"What should we do?" Sideswipe asked, looking from the hangar out to the tarmac where their deceased leader and the little female lay, "Should we…leave her there?"

Ratchet; who had been trying to keep himself busy to avoid the loss of his commander, shook his head, "Humans are delicate." He explained, "The temperature outside is getting low; she's not designed to be out in the cold like this."

The Corvette pulled what could have been described as a pained expression, the metal of his face scrunching together in frustration. "But she…this is wrong. Optimus' shouldn't have died…"

Arcee, who had spent a lot of time watching the exchanges between Tessa and Optimus; sighed with female intuition, "She…she cares about him. I think there was something…between them."

The medic gave a heavy sigh; the air hissing out of his throat valve loudly before he spoke again, trying to remain level headed and professional, "Regardless of that, she can't stay there. She needs warmth, and sleeping on a metal Autobot who is no longer capable of generating heat is not where she's going to find it. Ironhide, would you bring her back to the hangar?"

"-I'll get her." Jolt cut in.

All of the Autobots turned to look at the blue mech in surprise.

The electrical robot was certainly not the one they would have expected to volunteer for the task. Granted that he and Tessa had maintained polite, very _minimal_ conversation while she had repaired him in the past; but the two had never been anything more than tolerated acquaintances. Arcee looked up at him in confusion.

"Jolt…?" she asked gently, "Why…would you…offer to do that?"

The blue Autobot gave a scoff. "You make it sound like I am asking to Spark-Bond with the little female." He gave a chuckle to himself and shook his head, "I will bring her inside out of the cold."

"I always thought that you didn't particularly like her?" Sideswipe interjected, a little confused at the change of heart. "You two have never exactly _talked_."

Jolt gave a hissing sigh of his own before looking out to the tarmac, his optics zooming in to see Tessa asleep on Prime's chest. Then he turned back to his fellow Autobots. "Optimus trusted her; and that's reason enough for me to." He said simply before he turned and walked out of the hangar without waiting for a reply. He'd said his piece; and found no need to say more.

His footsteps were loud in the quiet of the night, the mechanical hydraulics making an almost whirring sound as he approached the little female perched on Prime's body; she was sound asleep. With a smirk that nobody else could see, he looked down at her; understanding her pain.

She had always been so gracious towards them, always worrying for them; the one that was always there waiting for them when they came back. He didn't dislike Tessa at all, and it wasn't that he didn't trust her; he just found it safer to be wary. But she had proved herself, more than once, that she would rise to defend them; to work alongside them. Even in her first few weeks as N.E.S.T's mechanic, before she had been in on the secret, she had never questioned what she was not allowed to know; hell she'd even told Lennox that she would pretend nothing unusual happened in her workplace, despite her knowing that there _was_. Her open honesty drew them all in, and he knew that it was not through any intention, nor was it something that she planned; it was just her nature.

Bending down to rest on his knees, he cast a glance to his fallen leader before giving a hissing sigh and gently pressing a finger to Tessa's back.

"Time to get up; you need to go inside."

The little female gave a sleepy mumbled before rubbing her eyes and looking up at him. Her vision was bleary at first, but when she finally realised who it was; she seemed as confused as the Autobots had been.

Primus, had he really been _that_ aloof towards her?

"J-Jolt? What…what's the matter?" she slurred, her back aching something fierce from her angled sleeping position.

"It's cold out here. You need to go inside." He replied simply, giving something akin to a shrug.

Tessa's eyes widened a little in understanding before looking down at Optimus, "But…I can't just leave him…"

"He will still be here in the morning, I promise you. They will not move him anywhere without you; you have my word."

She looked up at him in surprise, suddenly feeling a little less tired in the wake of the fact that _Jolt_ was actually having a _conversation_…with _her_! She gave a sigh and looked down at the metal leader and pressed a hand to the bar where her cross now rested; just above where his heart, or _spark_, would be. "I'll be back in the morning…" she whispered to him.

Jolt found it both intriguing and saddening that she clearly had unresolved feelings toward the massive, lifeless mech. He wasn't stupid, he'd seen the interactions between the two for months; they all had. In fact he suspected that if fate hadn't intervened, Optimus may have just broken his restraint to accomplish something unheard of and uncharted.

A human Sparkmate.

In Jolt's eyes, Tessa was certainly a worthy candidate for their regal leader; it had just been a pity she'd been born human, for her mind was like that of a Cybertronian…well _almost_…

He held out a hand to her so that she could climb down without having to tread on Prime's remains; the tiny female just about fitting into his palm. The two headed back to the hangar in silence, but there was now an understanding between the two.

In his seemingly tiny gesture to bring her inside, Jolt had shown Tessa that he trusted her; and in her acceptance of his aid, she had shown him that she returned that trust.

When they went through the door of the hangar, a metal screeching made her jump in shock, but it only took a few seconds for her to realise that Ratchet had pushed the button on the wall to close the door. She shot him a sad smile; they had all lost a great friend that day and _everyone_ had felt the pain that she had in doing so.

As she looked around the massive space to notice that most of the other Autobots were already in vehicle form, and a sudden thought struck her; easing the ache in her heart a little.

"Jolt…? Could you…put me down?" she asked politely; not wanting him to think she was being offensive. To her relief he nodded and did so.

"I will leave you be. Get some rest." He stated firmly, ever-so-gently tapping her on the top of the head with a massive mechanical finger before turning back into the Chevrolet Volt and finding a place to park; they were all tired, her included.

She tried in vain to supress a yawn before turning her attention to the space of the hangar taken up by the large black Topkick. She felt so childish at what she was about to do, but she knew that she would not be able to sleep without nightmares tonight…she couldn't be alone… When she reached the truck, she gently placed a hand on the side of the vehicle and tapped her finger against the dark metal.

"I-Ironhide…? Are you…awake?" she asked awkwardly.

She heard the grill rumble to life before Ironhide's accented voice came from it. "What's the matter?"

She bit her lip childishly, her cheeks flushing scarlet against her own accord. Her own childishness embarrassed her sometimes. "Can I…stay in your truck tonight? I'm…afraid to fall asleep."

To her relief, the door to the backseat opened without hesitation and Ironhide didn't question her; he knew why she was seeking comfort. She clambered in ungracefully and shut the door behind her. The interior of the truck was all black, with any accessories that came with it trimmed in chrome and silver. She gave a contented smile as she laid down across the massive back seats and curled into a ball trying to keep warm. Whether Ironhide could see her or whether he just assumed that she was cold, she didn't know for sure; but for whatever reason he turned the heaters on to warm up the truck.

"Try to get some rest, Squishy…" he murmured through the speakers, sounding as tired as she felt. She felt her heart warm at the sound of what had become his nickname for her. She gently patted the leather of the seat before tucking her hands under the left side of her face and pressing her back against the seats; using her hands as a pillow of sorts.

She felt sleep tugging at her eyelids, and although she was afraid because of the nightmares she _knew _she was going to have, she knew that Ironhide was not going to let anything harm her while she was in the Topkick.

This thought alone was what made her finally succumb to slumber…


	19. Survive

**HAI GAAIIIIIZZZ!**

**So, this is in a lot of ways another filler chapter; BUT IT'S SETTING THE SCENE FOR A CERTAIN SEXY PRIME TO COME BACK ON THE SCENE!  
>I've had lots of pizza, and plenty of Diet Coke and this chapter is REARING to go!<strong>

**As always, I hope you guys enjoy it, and I'm sorry that Optimus' little "offline story arc" has dragged out so long; but rushing the storyline would absolutely ruin the authenticity that I've been trying to create.**

**Without further ado, here is the next chapter!**

Tessa had been right in assuming that she was going to have trouble sleeping that night.

She'd tossed and turned so much that eventually Ironhide had been force to clip the seatbelts of the back seat over her; but all that did was make her feel restrained and wake up terrified. It had certainly been a hard night for both of them, and when she had finally managed to fall so deep into sleep that she didn't dream at all; she stayed that way until well into the following morning. The Topkick, who had also stayed in stasis a little later than usual, hadn't had the heart to wake her after such a rough night; instead he decided to stay in Alt form and allowed her to stay asleep for a while longer.

It was roughly about a quarter to 11 in the morning when she finally decided to wake up, and as she sat up she spotted herself in Ironhide's interior rear-view mirror.

Her neck was stiff from tossing all night, and her muscles ached from being reflexively tensed; her hair was wild and her eyes had slight, dark patches underneath them. In simple terminology; she looked like shit.

She stifled a groan and rubbed her eyes sluggishly before yawning.

"About time you re-joined the living…" came Ironhide's voice from the speakers at the back. Tess looked at the clock in the front console and sighed disappointedly at what she saw as her own laziness.

"You should have woken me up, Hide…" she murmured, stretching her legs out in the spacious back seat and savouring the feeling of curling her toes.

She heard the truck chuckle softly at her remark, "Not after the night you had. The amount of times you cried out in your sleep, I was surprised you were able to go into stasis _at all_."

She snorted. "You and me both, Ironhide. Jesus Christ I have such a headache…" she hissed, pressing her palm to her forehead. It had been two days since she'd had any Skittles, and her body was suffering for it; it had a tendency to be quite aggressive in its protests to sugar withdrawal. Deciding she needed to fix this headache, she came up with a solution she didn't normally turn to.

Coffee.

Giving a pained groan, she gently ran a hand on the leather of the seat before speaking. "Thank you Ironhide, I appreciate you looking out for a squishy little fleshing like me." She laughed, feeling the heavy foreboding in her chest lifting a little at having had some rest.

She tried not to think about the cold, metal body she would find out on the tarmac…she couldn't…

"Just don't roll around on the upholstery so much next time," he teased, "The leather is expensive."

She grinned as a giggle escaped her, "Oh my apologies, sir. I didn't realise your taste was so pricey." She exhaled with a smile and opened the door, "I'm going to have some coffee and take a shower. We…have to go back to base today right?"

A simple "Mm-hm" was the mech's only response as she left the car and it was clear he was as bothered by the fact as the rest of the N.E.S.T soldiers. They needed to be out fighting Decepticons; not going back to Diego Garcia…

It had taken Tess a few minutes to locate the shower facilities; and then the better part of an hour to use them. Before she'd showered, she'd decided that she couldn't wear the clothes from the previous day because they were covered with sweat and dirt and had started to smell; so instead she borrowed some from the communal locker that the spare uniforms were kept in. She felt a little awkward in the camouflage printed army greens, they looked foreign to someone who constantly wore blue; but it couldn't be helped. She hadn't had time to actually _pack_ anything in her haste to join Epps and Lennox on the mission.

_Smart move Teresa…_ she thought sarcastically to herself.

Looking in the full length mirror of the locker rooms, she decided that she was satisfied with the improvement; her hair was still damp and she still looked a little tired, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Piling her hair into its usual messy bun she tied it up with the hairband on her wrist and headed to the cafeteria to acquire herself some caffeine and sugar. Not wanting to waste any time, she made her way swiftly, and was relieved to see that they actually stocked tea as well.

Coffee never sat well with Tess, so she usually tried to avoid it if she could; a black tea was a light, much gentler alternative.

After making it to a tolerable taste and temperature, she picked up 6 sachets of sugar, the kind used in cafés for people to sweeten their own drink; before ripping the open and pouring them into the foam cup. She threw the remnant scraps of paper into the trash bin and sculled the boiling liquid in the cup; realizing that doing such a thing for a beverage so hot _probably_ wasn't a good idea. However once she felt the searing drink settle in her belly, she noticed that her headache had finally started to ebb away with the intake of sugar. Tossing the empty foam cup into the bin after the sachets, she cracked her back and gave a contented sigh before turning and heading for the tarmac.

She needed to see Optimus…

When she'd arrived though, they were strapping a hydraulic crane to his motionless body and trying to lift it.

Tessa's eyes widened in horror "Wait! What are you doing?" she made a move to run forward, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked at said appendage on her shoulder before her eyes trailed up the arm to its owner.

Lennox, followed closely by Epps and Graham; were the ones that stood behind her.

"It's okay Tess, calm down; they're just getting him onto the gurney truck so that we can move him." He said softly, seeing the terror that had stricken her. He removed his hand from her shoulder and looked over to Optimus' body being handled; the N.E.S.T operatives were taking great visible care with the Prime, and that much was enough to relief Tess of her fear; for the time being. She looked up at Lennox with a worried expression.

"What…will they do with his body?" she murmured.

"I don't know yet…but I promise you; on the flight home you'll be right beside him." He replied, rubbing her arm reassuringly. Despite his level tone it was easy to see that he was just as bothered and worried by the situation as she was; none of it felt right…

As they watched Optimus' body finally be loaded onto the gurney, the rest of the Autobots; all in vehicle form, were loaded onto one of the waiting aircrafts. To Tessa's dismay, they were all covered in a thick, cloth mesh; but Graham informed her that it was something of a protective harness, and wasn't designed to restrict them. The speakers over the base crackled to life all of a sudden, causing her ears to tune in to the sound; anticipating what was being announced.

"_N.E.S.T departure; 2100 hours._"

Lennox turned away from the sight of Optimus being lead to one of the crafts and started to walk in a different direction, turning to Epps as he, Graham and Tessa followed the Major. "So, we're shipping them back to base. This is such a mistake…"

She felt inclined to agree with him.

As they made their way slowly across the base, watching and overlooking the task at hand; Tessa felt her skin prickling with a familiar sense of foreboding. Like it or not, this was not their greatest issue at hand right now; the Decepticons were out there getting ready to destroy the world if they didn't get the Witwicky boy, the one that Optimus had died to keep _out_ of their hands. None of it sat well…

She was standing out the front of the main hangar now watching them slowly, and surprisingly carefully, load the great leader's body into the back of the carrier. Her chest had never felt so heavy, with grief, with worry; with totally despairing loss for both Optimus _and_ the threat currently overshadowing her planet. However a sudden voice cut into her thoughts, gathering her attention at the soldier addressing Will.

"Major Lennox, phone call."

He and Epps both turned to view the addressor, however she noticed that Graham didn't turn around. Whether this was because he hadn't heard, or because he was deep in thought; she didn't know but either way, Lennox turned and walked over to the computers where the phone line was connected.

Looking over briefly at the group he had just left, he raised the phone to his ear and announced himself. "This is Lennox."

"_Lennox, I'm with the kid. The __kid__. You know, the one with the attitude, right?_" a rapid voice spoke into the phone from the other end.

"Who is th-?" His remark was cut off by the same voice; completely ignoring that Lennox had spoken.

"_We need the truck. The __truck__._"

That was when his eyes widened in surprise; whoever was on the other line was speaking code…who did he know that did that…?

"_We got a possible __resurrection__ going on over here. You're not gonna believe where we are. Code Tut, as in King Tutankhamen. Back of a $1 bill._"

Wait! Simmons! That voice was _Simmons_ from Sector Seven! Resurrection? That could only mean one thing; Optimus! Hastily Lennox grabbed for a pen and tore a scrap of paper from one of the sheet notes sitting near the computer screen. He was tensed like a cat, waiting for instruction.

"_Coordinates for airdrop; 29.5 North, 34.88 East. Write it down; write it._"

Lennox was already scrawling the instructions as quickly as he could; not caring for a _second_ that the writing was messy and barely legible, he knew what it said and it was all he needed.

"_Oh my God. I gotta go. Okay; heat comes._"

Before he could make out any other details, Simmons' voice cut out and the line went dead. He had to brace himself against the desk for a second, his head was swimming and his mind was racing; there was a chance to bring Optimus back to life and he needed to find a way to take that chance.

No matter what.

He made his way back over to where his rag-tag group was standing outside the hangar, noticing Tessa's worried expression; he must have looked like something was bothering him.

"Is everything okay?" she asked concernedly, her fingers fiddling uncomfortably with the army greens she wore. They were a little too big for her, but Lennox couldn't help but notice that they suited her; all she needed was a set of tags and she'd have looked like a soldier.

"Yeah, everything is fine; boring military stuff. Epps, I need you to come with me; I have to speak to the pilots about the coordinates."

The dark skinned man nodded understandingly; he could guess that there was something Lennox wanted to say without Tessa hearing them, "Sure."

"Wait, coordinates? I thought we were just going back to Diego Garcia; they know the way right?"

Will had to fight to supress a narcissistic smirk to himself. _Damn girl is too smart for her own good; doesn't miss a thing_, he thought. "They do know the way, but from the air they need to have the coordinates. Everything looks different from up there." He pointed to the sky with a smile. This answer seemed to satiate her just fine, because she nodded and didn't question it any further. With a relieved sigh, he turned to Graham, "Can you take her on board and teach her how to attach the chutes? I want her to know how to do it; I'm sick of doing it for her." He said, turning to Tessa for the last half of the sentence with a cheeky smirk.

She responded by sticking her tongue out at him childishly, "Smartass." She muttered.

Graham nodded as he caught gazes with Lennox and understood the underlying message; _distract her for a while_. "Alright little lady, let's get to it." He smiled, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her toward one of the C-17s that was being loaded on the runway.

With a relieved sigh, Lennox turned to Epps and rubbed his temples in frustration.

"I just received some intel from Simmons." He said, looking around to make sure that Tess had gone. As much as he wanted Tessa to know that plan, he didn't want to get her hopes up if the "resurrection" didn't work; it would break her.

Epps gave him a sceptical look, "Simmons? As in the Loony-Toon-from-Sector-Seven Simmons?"

Lennox nodded. "Yeah, him. He's with Sam, and I think they might have a way to bring back Optimus-" _That _got Epps' attention, "-but you c_an't_ tell Tessa. If it doesn't work…I don't think she'll be able to take it."

"Got it."

"Okay, now let's get to the flight coordinator; I need to find out the location of these coordinates." He held up the scrap of paper that he had scrawled the note on and handed it to Epps; who read it carefully before nodding.

"Okay…let's do this."


	20. Hero

**OH MY EFFING PRIMUS! TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY! **

**WOW! Long chapter is ****LONG****!**

**Hopefully this makes up for the "offline-dragout" everybody.**

**Ignore the spelling/grammar errors; just TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!**

**FYI, detailed reviews are TOTALLY my favourites ;)**

**Enjoy the love guys *faints from exhaustion***

"So…how much longer do you think it's going to be before we actually leave?" Tessa asked, looking at Graham with a concerned face. It was currently dark out on the tarmac, and the floodlights bathed the concrete. She was standing with the Englishman at the edge of one of the hangars.

"They estimated departure for 2100 hours." He said absently, his gaze focused on the plane that Lennox and Epps had gone to. She still didn't know why they'd run off so quickly; but she figured it was either not something she was allowed to know, or simply something she wouldn't understand. Instead she focused on Graham's answer and counted out on her fingers; trying to remember a 24-hour clock's cycle.

"So…9:00 right?"

"Yes."

She scratched her head thoughtfully, "At risk of sounding like an idiot, they do realize that it's _already_ 9:00, right?"

He laughed at her in response and shook his head as he chuckled. "Yeah, they know. They're just using the time as guideline to work towards. They'll probably be ready to leave very soon." Tessa nodded her understanding, wrapping her arms around herself to fight off the slight chill that the breeze was causing. Shuffling on her feet, she tried to adjust the army greens she still wore; subtly trying pick out the God-awful wedgie the pants were giving her. Trying to hide his amusement at her antics, Graham instead chose to comment on the overall appearance, "Suits you dressed like that, you know. Ever consider joining N.E.S.T as an operative?"

She snorted in response, "Hell no; my mad skills would just make you all jealous." She grinned, elbowing him in the arm; to which Graham chuckled good-naturedly at her humour before she continued, "No but seriously…I haven't got the heart for a soldier; I suck at _video games_ that involve guns." She laughed at herself as she watched Lennox and Epps addressing one of the flight coordinators who was coming down the steps at the side of the plane. There were footsteps coming from the other side of Graham, and when she turned; she saw that it was Galloway. The two glared at one another before she felt the Englishman's hand on the small of her back as he pushed her forward; placing himself subtly between her and the Director before he addressed the man.

"Sir."

Luckily Galloway then chose to ignore Tessa; instead standing with his arms crossed and a perplexed look on his face as he watched the scene outside unfolding.

Epps looked bothered by something, and was talking rather intensely to Lennox; who looked sceptically hopeful as he tried to reassure his friend about something. They eventually came to some sort of agreement and headed over to the group of soldiers that were ready to board the crafts. After discussing something evidently important; Will signalled over to Graham and Tessa before giving his comrades one last word and a thumbs up. Was it just her, or had he pointed at her briefly during his mission briefing?

"All right; time to go little missy." Graham said shortly, drawing her out of her suspicions. He placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her over to where the others were gathered.

"So what's happening? Are we ready to leave?" she asked curiously; looking up at Lennox with an almost child-like expression. He gave her a nod and gestured towards one of the crafts. "You'll be on the C-17 with Epps, Graham and I-"

"-But what about-"

Lennox raised a hand to stop her, "-Optimus will be on the same carrier as you. You'll be right there with him; I promised." She nodded thankfully and placed a hand over her heart, allowing Lennox to continue his address, "The other Autobots will be in the second carrier; Optimus' body is much heavier than them because he's dead weight," he noticed Tessa flinch at the term _dead_, "so it will balance out the two. You all know the drill; I just briefed you on it, now let's get Optimus home."

The group saluted and dispersed and everyone started to report to their designated areas and began to board the crafts, however as Tessa turned to head for the plane; Lennox caught her by the arm and pulled her into a hug. She gasped in surprise at the sudden abrupt embrace, but she stood stiffly as he held her tightly against his chest. "L-Lennox-?"

"It's going to be okay Tessa." He said sharply, feeling her resolve tremble beneath him. She bit her lip to keep back the heavy weight in her heart and instead gave a laugh; trying not to let her worry show through.

"I'm fine." She said evenly; sounding much more confident than she felt, "Let's just get moving."

Letting her go, he straightened himself out and gave her a nod; smiling down at her. She didn't see just how easy it was to read her; and he felt such a family oriented bond between them, the fact that she reminded him of the sort of girl he would want his Annabelle to grow into. So much like Sarah; he smiled broadly at the little brunette he'd come to see as a sibling.

"Right. Let's get going."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Tessa hadn't moved away from the Prime since boarding the plane.

Even Galloway's constant glares at her hadn't fazed her; even though it was clear that after their little dispute on the tarmac, they now openly despised each other. She had certainly been a little bit worried about him threatening her career, but she wasn't intimidated by _him_; just the power he had to harm people's jobs. Needless to say she detested the weasel.

But aside from her hatred for the Director, she currently paid him no heed.

She sat on the seat at the side of the plane further down from the rest of them, right near the back emergency exit doors; her hand rested softly against Optimus' elbow. She knew that they were in for a very long flight; but neither Tessa nor Galloway knew that they were in fact on their way to The Daggers Tip, not the base at Diego Garcia. It hadn't been long before she fell asleep, her arms leaning comfortably on Optimus as a rather cold, metal pillow for her head.

Epps saw her doing so, and motioned to Lennox, "Man down." He joked good-naturedly as he gestured to her.

"She's not the only one…" Lennox scoffed, pointing over at Galloway who had fallen asleep with his head back against the wall of the plane; his mouth hanging open unattractively. They felt an obvious amount warmer to Tessa's situation than to the Director's.

"So…what's the plan?" Epps asked Will; able to discuss it now that the two "out-of-the-loopers" had finally nodded off.

"Like I told the troops before we left, the pilots are going to announce an engine malfunction; and everyone is going to have to act like it's a bailout procedure. We'll use it to deal with Galloway; we need him gone if we're going to make it to Egypt. Because he's classed as a VIP, I'll…_secure_ him first." Lennox turned to Graham who was sitting near him, "Gray, I'm going to need you to keep Tess calm. She's in the same position as Galloway, so she'll probably freak out at the idea of having to jump from the plane; just help her with her chute and make sure she stays close to you."

The Englishman nodded in understanding, his eyes flicking to the sleeping girl at the other end of the plane. If she didn't wake up before their arrival, they would probably have to move her; it was dangerous for her to be so close to the exit when they planned a bailout. The team continued on the minor details of their mission to eliminate Galloway, and as they did; the hours ticked by, turning the night into dawn.

Eventually in the early hours of the morning as the sun was rising over the mountains Galloway stirred and woke from his uncomfortable rest; shortly after her picked through his briefcase and pulled out a bundle of stapled pages, evidently documents of his. The auburn haired girl soon followed him, stretching her arms and cracking her neck. She looked around blearily for a few minutes before remembering that she was on a plane; and that Optimus was in front of her.

She gave a sad smile and placed her hand on the great robot's elbow. "Don't worry Chief; almost home…" she whispered to him, stroking the metal tenderly with her thumb; almost as if she were trying to reassure him. All of a sudden, the speakers of the aircraft fizzled to life; drawing her attention.

"_We've had an engine malfunction. We're gonna have to divert to SOCCENT. Flight master, let's lighten the load and prepare to bailout._"

Her eyes widened in shock, and admittedly; fear. She'd never _bailed_ out of a plane before? What was she supposed to do? She looked around in a terrified panic before she heard her name.

"Tessa; over here!" it was Graham, flagging her from the other side of the aircraft. She placed her hand gently on Prime before she ran unsteadily over to the English soldier; grabbing his sleeve worriedly.

"Graham! What's happening? Are we seriously jumping out of a plane?" she squeaked in panic. However her avoided answering her question directly, which made her worry all the more.

"It's going to be fine Tess, just stay calm; here let me get your chute ready." He said. She noticed the extreme calm in his voice, and in turn it actually calmed her; it can't have been _that_ serious if he was so relaxed about it. She heard Lennox talking in an unusually professional tone to Galloway just a few feet from her, but she couldn't hear them over the noise of the plane. She _did_ however, see Epps bend down to adjust his back and bump the Director roughly with his pack before Lennox continued to "help" Galloway by roughly adjusting the bridle on his parachute.

Why were they all being so…_playful_…?

Suddenly a loud metallic clang was heard and the plane tipped sideways. Tessa stumbled drastically and probably would have ended up ass-over-head if Graham hadn't caught her quickly around the shoulders. He righted her and gave her a reassuring pat on the arm as he smiled, "It's alright; everything's going to be fine."

However as she spotted Lennox's semi-worried face; she wasn't so sure.

He grabbed Galloway by the bridle and pulled him towards the back of the plane, she noticed that the Director had suddenly become jittery and was pulling on Will's arm; trying to stop from being dragged to the back of the plane. She turned worriedly to Epps.

"Is he going to be okay? Why is Lennox taking him first?" she asked, her voice a little higher than usual from her own nerves. To her surprise it looked as though the African-American soldier was trying to supress a smirk.

"He's a VIP, his safety has to come first." He replied, turning to Graham, "Speaking of VIPs is this little lady's chute strapped on and secured."

The fair-skinned troop gave a smile, far too cheeky to be anywhere near concerned, "Absolutely." He snickered back.

_Okay there's definitely __something__ that I'm not in on right now_… she thought to herself. Then she turned back to where Lennox and Galloway were standing, close by to where Optimus' body lay; the soldier was making a very quick pulling motion as he said something to the suit-clad man, and Galloway ripped at the clip. That was when Tess noticed that the chute came out and Lennox said something that looked _suspiciously_ like the word "dumbass" before the wind caught in the Director's parachute.

He was yanked violently off the aircraft, and against her will; Tessa gave a scream of concern as she tried to dart forward.

However Epps caught her around the waist before pulling her back to where she had first been standing. "It's okay, Tess; he'll be fine." He assured her.

She may have hated Galloway…but she didn't wish danger upon him; not on anyone. But when Lennox reapproached them with a slight smirk, and Epps looked at him saying, "Did he say good-bye?"

The Major mockingly pulled a hurt expression, "No, he didn't even say good-bye."

Tess, who's nerves were on the edge of frying, stomped her foot like a petulant little child who was being ignored by their mother. "Damn it guys! What's going on?"

Lennox turned to Epps with a grin. "I'm going to send the message to Chairman Morshower so he can back us up; you guys explain to her."

A little miffed that he'd completely ignored her, she watched him head to the far corner of the plane to address some of his men; then she turned to Graham and Epps with a thoroughly annoyed expression.

"Alright, spill it! What aren't you telling me?"

The two exchanged a look before Epps spoke up. "Well, here's the thing Tess. You don't need to jump out of the plane…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

There should have been a groove in the floor where she had paced; and Tessa had no intention of stopping even if one _had_ appeared. She was stuck here, on some naval fleet ship; while her soldiers and her Autobots fought. Even after all her self-righteous talk about not being the weak civilian; she was _still_ waiting at the sidelines. She felt the anger build in herself as she remembered what had happened in the drop-zone, and gave an furious yell as she punched her hand into the side of the metal fleet control tower; but the only thing that accomplished was spraining her wrist.

"Damn it!" she hissed, shaking her hand to ease the sting, "I still can't _do_ anything! I'm still the _fucking_ weak link!"

Angry tears burned her eyes as she recalled what had happened during N.E.S.T's massive jump from the plane.

"_I want you to take me with you!" she exclaimed, "What if the Autobots need me to repair them during the battle? I can-"_

_Lennox had cut her off, his hand on her shoulder, "They have Ratchet. They'll be fine; the pilots will land you with the Naval Fleet and we'll be there after the fight is over."_

"_But-But I can help! What if Sam's idea doesn't work? Maybe there's some way that I'll be able to-?"_

"_-No!" Lennox yelled over the wind rushing through the back of the plane, "Tess, you don't get it! We're going into a __warzone__! There __WILL__ be Decepticons there, and you can't fight! You'll be a liability; and I can't afford to be watching your back out there!"_

_Tessa stopped breathing for a second, and her expression was that as if she had been physically struck. Lennox hated having to say it so harshly; but he knew that she would otherwise try to put herself at risk in order to find a way to help them._

_There was a metallic screeching, almost clunking sound and Optimus' body was released; sliding out the back of the plane. Despite having known that it was part of the plan, Tessa screamed and ran forward._

"_NO! Optimus!" she shrieked, crashing into Lennox as he restrained her._

"_Tess; stop, STOP! It's alright! This is going to work, it has to! Listen to me!" he gripped her panicking face in his hands, trying to make her focus on him, "Listen! I'm going to bring him back to you!" he yelled over the roar of the wind._

"_Lennox! LET'S GO!" Epps called hastily to his comrade, before jumping from the carrier without a minute's hesitation._

_Will looked back to the girl's teary and terrified face, "Go to the Fleet; I'm bringing him back to you." He ordered her sternly, pointing to the seating at the side of the plain before pushing her firmly towards it. "I promise you!"_

_Before she could say another word against the subject, he turned and ran off the ramp._

Tears were burning trails down her cheeks as she started to pace again. It had been hours, and they had recently docked, but she had still heard no word from N.E.S.T. or the Autobots. Finally, sick of pacing and staring out at the horizon on the land; she made her way below deck to the small cabin that they had given her. It was a tiny room with two bunk beds, a small bathroom to one side and a little portable television against one of the walls.

She tried to watch that for a short time, but eventually she just resumed her pacing. She was almost at her wits end and she felt sick to her stomach with one thought.

_Will he come back alive, or dead…_?

She tried anything to keep herself occupied, even taking note that she ship had started to move as if it had set out to sea again, but her mind would not falter; it kept returning to her soldiers; and whether they were safe…

Suddenly, there was a knock at her door, causing her to jump in sheer terror from being jolted out of her thoughts so abruptly.

"Y-Yes?" she asked, her voice thick with tears and cracking from her surprise.

There was no response, but the handle twisted and the metal door swung open to reveal Lennox. Tessa's heart sunk to the floor and she felt her eyes brim with tears. She didn't even say a thing, she just shot forward and threw her arms around her friend, squeezing him so tightly that her arms began to ache. She managed to hold her tears in check, but that didn't mean that she didn't tremble from the effort. "I was so afraid you'd all died…" she whispered into his shoulder.

"It's okay Tess, everyone's coming back. But…" he paused and pulled her back off him, holding her shoulders so that she would look him in the eye, "…you need to come up on deck…"

_Oh God, no…_ she thought, _don't tell me that Optimus didn't…_

All she did was nod unintelligibly and allow the soldier to pull her into the corridor; guiding her through the hallways up to the deck. She kept her eyes squeezed tightly shut when she felt the sea air hit her in the face, she couldn't open them; she didn't want to see Optimus' lifeless corpse again…Oh God, she just _couldn't_…

"Tess." Came Epps' voice from next to her as he put an arm around her.

Keeping her eyes tightly shut, she spun into him and wrapped her arms over his shoulders; squeezing him like she had with Lennox. The dark skinned soldier firmly hugged her back before putting a hand on her head and whispering in her ear, "You need to turn around."

"I can't!" she squeaked, "I can't see him like that again."

Then there was a majestic, metallic voice from behind her; with the regal tone that shook violently down her spine when she heard it. "Tessa…" _Optimus._

Her eyes widened and she shot her face up against Epps' shoulder. Her fingers trembled and she feared to turn around, "It….can't be…" she whimpered. She felt her knees tremble and she had to use Epps as a brace to turn herself to face the familiar voice; the one that it felt like millennia since she'd heard it.

Towering over the aircrafts that were stored on the boat, stood Optimus…

"It's not…true…" she whispered, her throat closing up with emotion as she took a few fragile steps forward. She looked up at him as she did so, before reaching out a hand with violently shaking fingers; to place a hand on his ankle. "You…."

Optimus felt his spark ache at her expression; so full of pain, of reluctance to believe.

Finally, her knees buckled and she collapsed onto the decking with her face buried in her hands as she sobbed. Nobody knew what to do, especially the Prime…

"Y-you…!" she choked, sobbing into her hands in order to try and muffle her cries.

Lennox and Epps both took a few steps forward before looking at each other; what could they say to comfort her? Then all of a sudden-

"_YOU_!" Tessa screamed, looking up at the Prime and taking a few steps back so that she could see him better. Her eyes were red, glistening; and her face was streaked with rapid floods of tears that slid off her chin and onto the metal decking. "IF YOU-IF YOU _EVER_ PULL A GODDAMNED STUNT LIKE THAT AGAIN…" she turned her face away to shake off the tears once more before she reached for the closest projectile she could; which happened to be a monkey wrench that was perched precariously on the edge of a toolbox, then she turned her face back to him. Her face was full of anger, but her eyes expressed nothing but distress and emotional pain, "IF YOU DIE ON ME LIKE THAT AGAIN I'LL USE YOUR GUTS FOR _SCRAP METAL_! DO YOU _HEAR ME_, CHIEF? I'LL REMODEL YOU INTO A FUCKING ELECTRIC _LEG RAZOR_! "

She swung the wrench with all her force, and the metal tool collided against him with a satisfying _clang_ before dropping to the deck. He didn't say anything just yet; he wanted her to let her hurt out, even if it was on him. He could only imagine what she'd been through watching over him the way Lennox said she had.

She took a few shaky steps back, her hands shook violently and her lip bled from her teeth biting into it to stop it trembling. She felt more tears burn their way down her cheeks from the corner of her eyes before she gave a sharp, choking sob and ran back down below deck.

She heard the sound of him morphing into his Alt mode, oh sweet _God_ how she'd missed that sound, and a familiar electrifying buzz that she assumed to be his Holoform activating.

"Tessa!" came a yell after her.

But she kept running. She couldn't stand the thought that this was all just some dream that her mind was trying to trap her in; something she would wake up from as soon as she believed it was real. She reached her cabin and slammed the door behind her before dropping onto the floor in the middle of the tiny room, sharply trying to draw in oxygen as she began to borderline hyperventilated. "It can't be…" she whispered, "Wake up, Tessa…wake _up_; it can't be _real_!"

She sobbed and clutched her arms around herself, trying to stop her form from shaking. She didn't even notice the door open and click itself shut.

"Wake up…" she hissed at herself, "please…_wake up_!"

"Tessa…" came a deep, metallic baritone from over her. There was the sound of fabric rustling as the owner of the voice knelt down beside her; a hand being placed tenderly at the back of her neck. "…look at me…"

All she could do was choke on a sob, "I-I can't…" she whimpered.

"_Look at me_…" he begged.

Closing her eyes, and wishing she could do the same to her ears as well; she shook her head, "It's not real…" she whispered, clenching the cheap carpet in her fists so tightly that her nails almost bled. A choked gasp was knocked from her as a hand seized her around the waist to encircle her and another hand twined itself protectively into her hair; pulling her against a chest that was like steel.

"_Tessa_," came a hiss, "Feel me; I'm here! I'm _real_!" it was Optimus' voice. He surrounded her, his smell was _engulfing_ her; she could feel his warmth wrapped around her so tightly that she was almost suffocating from it. It was true! He was _with her_!

Suddenly in an almost frantic, she threw her arms around him and gave a whimpering sob into his chest. She grasped him like he was the last thing holding her to the Earth; as if space threatened to steal her away any minute.

"Oh _God_…" she hissed through her teeth, "You're alive…You're actually _here_…"

She felt the arms that encase her tighten, and the hand in her hair twine itself deeper into the copper-brown mass. "I'm so sorry…that you had to go through all this…" he whispered, "I will never leave you like that again…"

Her eyes flew open as she felt warmth at her neck, a slight gasp escaping her when she felt his lips press against the junction of where her throat met her shoulder. The motion was soft, gentle; and made her want to cry. There was nothing ulterior, or sinister about his mouth pressed against her skin. It was nothing more than an affirmation that he was there, with her; and it was all the assurance in the world that she needed.

"Promise me…" she whispered, pressing her forehead against his neck; drained from the emotional exhaustion.

His lips removed themselves from her skin and moved to tickle her ear as he pulled her into his lap and cradled her against his chest. "I swear it to you…" he murmured.

She cried for a long time, and he held her until long after she had no tears left to give…


	21. The Crow and The Butterfly

**Hey there guys! I didn't want to leave you guys hanging on such a sad finish with the last chapter, so here's a little something that finishes on a much more fluffy note :)**

**I haven't had time to proof read this, so as always I apologise for any grammatical errors you may encounter.**

**Enjoy, my lovely readers!**

**xx**

"_Did it work?" Tessa echoed, looking around the surrounding, empty blackness. She was clearly talking to somebody in front of her, but there was nothing there; she was standing alone in the dark._

_Lennox's voice was the one that responded; his voice ringing out in the vast hollowness, "We couldn't make it. He…he's gone Tess."_

_The girl's eyes widened in shock, "What? But you told me that he was safe! Sam brought him back! Where is everybody?"_

"_Gone. We turned Sam in."_

_Gripping her hands into her hair she tried to stop herself from drowning in the sense of confusion and loss that suddenly engulfed her. She felt her throat tighten and she reached out a hand for where Lennox should have been. She could see their faces; hear screams echoing from between her ears. Lennox, Graham, Epps; all of their faces faded and barely visible…all of them covered in __blood__!_

"_Tessa!" a voice cried in the background, the sound faded and distant; almost like it was underwater._

"_Sideswipe!" she screamed suddenly; her scenery changing abruptly, "Don't go so fast! You'll kill yourself!" she shrieked, whirling around in disorientation as she found herself seated inside the Corvette. In the back of her mind she knew that the sudden shift in scenery wasn't physically __possible__; but she was trapped within her own mind. Nothing sense and she could not reason with herself._

_Her skin felt like ice, her eyes were on fire._

"_I'm sorry…" the silver Autobot crackled over the speakers. He sounded distant, weak; dying, "Nobody made it. They won…"_

_Screaming violently she slammed her fists repeatedly into the dashboard as she yelled at him. "NO! You're __lying__ to me! He said he was back! It's not true!"_

"_Tessa!" the distance voice repeated._

"_Even Optimus can't come back from the dead." Sideswipe replied and they dropped off the dark road and began to plummet into blackness; her stomach flying to her chest at the feeling of falling. "I told you, everyone was killed."_

"_FUCKING STOP IT!" She shrieked as she fell. She opened her eyes in horror when she realized that she was falling alone; Sideswipe was gone too. She flailed and kicked, trying to fight away the terror of falling that encased her; trying to destroy the unbearable sense of loss that gripped her. _

"_Tessa!" _

_She opened her mouth not caring that it wasn't going to save her; and screamed._

"Tessa!" came a yell, a pair of hands gripping her shoulders to shake her. "Wake up!"

She drew in a sharp, violent breathe that burned her throat raw as her eyes flew open and she grabbed at empty air frantically. A pair of strong hands gripped her on the face, causing her to focus. She was met with the sight of a pair of neon blue eyes, and a dark mop of blue-black tresses trailing into trimmed facial hair of the same colour.

"O-Optimus…" she breathed, tears welling up in her eyes as she shook her head violently. She shot a hand out at lightning speed and gripped the front of his jacket, burying her face into his chest. "You're real…you're real…"

She whispered the phrase over and over under her breath; trying to reassure herself. The Prime's Holoform stroked her hair gently as he tried to soothe her. He wasn't entirely familiar with how to ease a human's suffering, but he'd always noticed that whenever he touched her hair; she would calm down considerably.

Humans always seemed to seek physical contact when they were distressed, and if he was being honest with himself; he couldn't say he disliked having her against him.

Bending his face into her auburn tangles he shushed her gently. "It was just a stasis projection…" he whispered to her, trying to remember the term that humans used for it…a _dream_ wasn't it?

She had calmed now, but he could still feel her heart racing as he held her; at least her breathing had even a little though. "…Chief…?" she whispered, clenching her eyes shut to blink away the drying tears, "…you…stayed…?"

The chest of his Holoform ached with what could have been compared to a sad emptiness. To think that she had truly felt so _alone_ made him so furious with himself for having been taken from her. Lennox had informed him of the past few days' effects on the girl; of just _how hard_ it had hit her to lose him. "Of course I stayed…" he murmured into her hair, inhaling deeply against it to memorise the scent.

Tensing her fingers against his back, making the fabric of his jacket gather in her hands, she dragged her forehead along his shoulder before withdrawing slowly from him; taking in her surroundings. She was in her cabin on the Naval Fleet ship, lying in the bottom of one of the bunk beds; the blankets up to her waist. Optimus' Holoform was respectfully on _top_ of the covers, placed protectively between herself and the door; a subtle hint of defence. Due to the narrowness of the bed, and the large frame of him, she noticed that he was slightly sagging over the edge, and the sight made her laugh exhaustedly. After all; the last thing she remembered had been collapsing into tears in Optimus Prime's arms. She'd obviously lapsed into slumber and he had moved her onto the bed to that she could rest. Just the fact that he had _stayed_ made her heart sing.

"How long…was I asleep?" she asked gently, trailing her fingers into her hair where his hand still rested. She gently rested her digits over his own and looked over at him; but was forced to cast her eyes away from the sheer intensity of his neon blue orbs as he watched her.

"Only an hour or two…" he murmured, savouring the feeling of her hand over his; the light movements of her fingers sending sensational pulses over the skin of his. He noticed the slight pink that dusted her cheeks as she looked away from him, and he reached out a free hand to softly trace the edge of her chin; trailing his fingertips over her lips before tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I need to go and see Sam…do you feel up to going on deck with me?"

She looked up at him with a smile; her body being washed with relief at having him home. Finally it was starting to sink in…he was back and he was in no danger. Never in a million years would she have dreamed that resurrection of the dead was possible, after all; the human race was based around the knowledge that death was the end. To have him returned to her after his end was met was greater than anything she could have wished.

"I'm fine now. Just…don't go fighting any more Decepticons for a while…okay, Chief?" she smiled.

Her eyes shot open when she felt his fingertips on her lips again, his posture completely relaxed and calm as he regarded her with a laid back, gentle look; it was clear that he was feeling the same strong sense of loss that she had, "I will confess, I'm relieved to see you smile again." He murmured before sliding himself off the bunk and standing up; offering her a hand, "Let's get up on deck…"

She took his hand with a smile that practically _beamed_ with joy and she climbed out from the blankets to head for the door. That was when she noticed something; Optimus had yet to let go of her hand… the realization made her look up at him; her eyes shining from both the previous tears, and her relief at having him close. As they walked through the narrow corridor, she pulled her hand gently from his grasp and slipped her arm through his, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"I missed you, Chief…" she whispered with a smile.

"I know…I'm sorry…"

She shook her head. "Decepticons' fault; not yours," she replied shortly before looking at him in surprise, "Wait…you know? How?"

"Two reasons…" he said, pausing in their steps to let go of her hand. She rested her back against the metal wall of the narrow corridor and watched him with a teasing smirk. It felt overwhelming to be able to smile again; to know that he was alive and that everything was going to be alright now.

"Okay…" she teased, crossing her arms across her chest and raising her eyebrow at him, "first reason?"

"Lennox." He replied simply, watching her eyes widen in surprise.

That meant that he knew about how she had reacted to his death, what she'd said to Galloway; everything that Lennox had known she'd _felt_. Knowing that there was no point in denying it, she nodded; maintaining eye contact with him, they both understood.

"Reason two?" she whispered.

Optimus lifted his left arm and held his fist out sideways for her to see. A fine, silver chain was twined around his wrist; a dainty, unembellished silver cross dangling from it delicately. Her gaze snapped down to the familiar piece of jewellery that he wore, and Optimus secretly delighted in the blush that crept across her cheeks. "Lennox was unable to tell me why I woke with _this_ attached to my chest; but I know for a fact that it is yours." He murmured to her, putting his hand on the wall next to her head; his eyes burning intensely into hers and the chain gently swinging beside her ear, "Why would you have left this with me…?"

To say that her face was scarlet right about now was an understatement; his nose was barely an inch from hers, and _still_ he did not break gaze. She laughed quietly, trying to look him square in the eye without being unnerved, "It was my Grandmother's." she murmured, "She gave it to me for luck when she passed away…and when you…" she swallowed thickly, "when you _died_, I wanted her to have a way to watch over you…So I attached it to you."

He had a perturbed look on his face now, "Then it should be returned to y-"

"-No." she said sharply, putting her hand firmly on his chest; looking up at him with a stern expression, "Keep it. Maybe it will provide you with better this time."

He smiled and dropped his hand from the wall to rest on her shoulder before pressing his forehead to hers, "I have missed you…" he said evenly, surprised at his own bluntness. There were no lies or denial in either pair of eyes. They both acknowledged that there was something there…just barely ignited between them; something that was only just beginning to grow. They both wanted to act on it…but it wasn't the time or place; it was too soon.

She smiled against him and whispered to him, "Dismiss the Holoform…I'll see you on deck; the _real_ you."

He didn't say a word; instead she felt a gentle tingle on her skin as the figure disappeared in a gentle fizzle of electrical sparks. When several of them made contact with her flesh, she felt the most minute of electric shocks which made her giggle. Then she smiled to herself with a contented sigh and took off for the deck; not more than excited about being able to see the real Optimus; not just a projection of him.

She preferred to see him as he really was.

As she climbed onto the decking of the Naval ship, she noticed that the sun had just slipped below the horizon; leaving a cool dusk sky and a chilling sea breeze washing over them. She saw Optimus…her _real_ Optimus, standing near the edge of the boat; and as she approached her turned to see her. She smiled up at him warmly as her hair tossed violently in the sea breeze; it was going to be so tangled later but right now she really didn't care.

The Prime bent down onto one knee and gestured to her with a knowing smile; she understood completely.

Not pausing for a second she closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms as far around his massive neck as she could; not caring for a second that the wind had made his metal freezing cold as it pressed against her, because she'd never been so _warm_ in her life. His arms closed around her in the semblance of a hug to shield her from the cold air; it was the best he could do for her given that his sheer size made it almost possible to actually _embrace_ her. His Spark crackled at the singing thought that she preferred him _this_ way, not as some Holoform that she could actually hold.

"I need to see Sam…to thank him…" he murmured to her, waiting patiently for her to remove her arms from him and back away. She beamed up at him, unable to hide just how happy she was right now; all of her robots and all of her soldiers, home safe where they belonged. She grinned and raised a hand to playfully pat the vents on his cheek.

"Sure thing, Chief; I'm not going anywhere."

Giving a nod he made his way over to where the tall boy was standing overlooking the ocean; she assumed that the gangly looking adolescent was Sam Witwicky; the one who had brought Optimus back to life. She spotted a dark haired girl watching the two friends share a small moment, a taller, mildly Hispanic boy standing next to her; Tessa decided to introduce herself to the ones who had saved the Autobot leader.

Wandering over, ignoring her wild mane of auburn tangles; Tessa gently tapped each of them on a shoulder, making them turn. She was almost taken aback by the stunning beauty of the teenage girl, who unfortunately, Tess noticed; was a little taller than herself.

_Damn teenagers and their steroid pumped chicken_…she thought, glancing down at her own tiny not-quite-5'2 frame.

"Hi. I'm Tessa." She smiled up at the them, holding out her hand to the girl, who shook it; before turning to the boy and doing the same.

"Pleasure to meet you," the Hispanic teenager said suavely, "I'm Leonardo Ponce De Leon Spitz."

Tessa had to laugh at the kid's gall. He certainly seemed like a smooth customer; she just hoped he realized that she was older than him, therefore _totally_ not interested. "Gee, that's a mouthful. Nice to meet you kid. I'm the Autobots' mechanic back at N.E.S.T."

"I'm Mikaela," the girl smiled, her incredible blue eyes catching the remaining light from the sun's rays, "Sam is my boyfriend." She gestured with her thumb over to where the boy and the giant, towering robot stood overlooking the ocean; her endearing smile being the only real sign of the ordeal all of them had just been through.

Tess smiled warmly at the girl, "So, he's the one who's brought the Chief back to me…" she replied thoughtfully, crossing her arms and looking over at the Autobot with a fond smile; a look that Mikaela didn't miss.

"So…you and Optimus?" she asked with a smirk, the cheeky teenage girl side to her coming out; a side she didn't get to show very often due to a lack of female friends. Girls had a tendency to be threatened by her, not something that she liked to confess in all honesty; but she liked the way this mechanic in the army greens was completely herself; no secrets.

She also thought it was totally funny and adorable the way the older girl blushed at the suggestion.

"Well…it's not like that…_exactly_. He's just…" she paused trying to find the right words as her gaze fell on the Prime; her expression instantly softening fondly,"…_special_."

Mikaela and Leo shared a look before smiling to each other, however before either of them could comment; Tessa had excused herself and headed over to the two at the edge of the ship. Her eyes were focused on the tall teenager; determination in her eyes.

"Sam Witwicky?" she called, causing both the boy in question and the man made of machinery to turn and view her.

"Uh, yeah?" he asked. He seemed like your typical, awkward post-teen/pre-adult sort of guy aside from the massive burns on his neck and face. And aside from the fact that he had brought back the Peterbilt she was so dearly fond of. She held out her hand to him firmly.

"My name is Tessa. I…owe you more thanks than I could possibly offer…for bringing him back… Thank you." she said shakily.

To her surprise, a smirk tugged the corner of his mouth and he coughed trying to hide it as he clasped her hand, "So…_you're_ Tessa, huh?" he shot a glance up to Optimus with a cheeky smile. The robot turned to look down at them and raised his hand at the boy.

"Sam…" he said warningly.

Smirking to himself he instead looked back at the auburn brunette and grinned at her, "You're welcome."

She released his hand and turned to look out at the darkening sea with them before a sharp gust of wind made her gasp and wrap her arms around herself. She had thought that she'd been quiet about it, but evidently not; because within a few seconds Optimus had squatted down and placed his hand flat on the ground in front of her with his palm skyward. Understanding his message, she clambered onto his hand and allowed him to lift her up; the sensation making her stomach flip-flop at being raised so quickly.

To her surprise, instead of keeping her in his hands like he usually would, he lifted her to his left shoulder; waiting for her to get a solid footing before moving his hand back down to his side. She grasped tightly a the protruding blue finial that extended from his helmet to support herself as she moved her hands down to the circular gear on his cheek; using his facial plates as a support so that she could sit comfortably on his shoulder. They sat in silence for a while, just watching the horizon become dark until she could see no further; after all she had no doubt in her mind that Optimus could probably see in the dark. A heavy, contented sigh escaped her, making the large Autobot turn to face her.

"Are you all right?" he asked her, noticing the way the glow from his optics illuminated her face when she was this close. She gave him a half-lidded smile; one of confidence and complete content as she shuffled over a little closer on his shoulder.

She gently placed a hand on the vent of his cheek before stroking it thoughtfully with her thumb. "Just fine," she whispered. She cast a look down to Sam to make sure he was still watching the water before she looked up at Optimus with a smile that made his Spark flicker just a _tiny_ bit as he kept eye contact with her. Ignoring the fluorescent blue glow on her face, she leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth; making the Energon flush to his facial plates.

"It's good to have you home, Chief." She whispered before she leaned her head against his much larger one and settling against him. The two of them stayed that way for a long while before Tess fell asleep in the crook of his shoulder.


	22. Into The Gravity

**OMG FLUFFY CHAPTER IS FLUFFY! XD hahaha. Well, anyhow this is sort of a little look into what Sam was referring to when he was like "Ooooohhh, YOU'RE Tessa LOLOLOLOL!"**

**So a little bit of background, sort of more from Optimus' point of view.**

**Oh, and before you guys ask me; in this chapter, Sideswipe unfortunately loses the little bet that he and Ironhide had going; but neither of them will find out until later on in the story.**

**As usual, please let me know what you think (details about your favourite parts in the story make me super happy just so you guys know ;D) and you guys know what I'm going to say about grammar errors *cough*sorryifthereareany*cough***

**I hope you enjoy it, my wonderful, WONDERFUL readers!**

***throws cookies***

"So…how did Sam know who I was…?" came a murmur from the cabin.

Optimus' audio receptors picked up the sound, and the radio of the Peterbilt fizzled to life to answer her, "It isn't anything you should worry about." He said calmly.

Tessa sat up on the thin cushioned patch that acted as a bed; the thin grey blanket falling off her shoulders. After she had fallen asleep on the Prime's shoulder earlier that evening he had taken her off and planned to allow her to sleep in her cabin; but she had woken up and drowsily _insisted_ that she was staying in the cabin of Peterbilt, despite Optimus' protests.

Not that he'd protested very strongly anyway…

"I'm not worried," she smirked teasingly, "I just want to know what you've been saying about me behind my back, Optimus Prime." He couldn't help but notice that it was the first time he'd heard her say his full name; and that it just sounded so _wonderful_ coming from her. He felt a strange sense of embarrassment arise when he realized that she was suspicious of his conversations with Sam.

"It was nothing." He said, a severely teasing tone reflected in his voice through the stereo.

Tessa scoffed, "Oh really? From what I gathered you seemed a little flustered there, Chief? You haven't been talking bad about me have you-?"

"-Never!" he exclaimed insistently; not wanting her to think such things. However he was about to find out that she was using a tactic he had not encountered in all of his centuries of existence; female persuasion.

"Oh…" she smirked cheekily, "then you must have been saying _nice_ things, right? Come on _tell_ me! I promise I won't laugh!"

A heavy sigh sounded through the speakers, and she could have sworn she felt a breeze flutter from the air-conditioning vents as he did so. "You're not going to allow this subject to rest, are you?" he asked dejectedly.

Through his rear vision mirror, a direct link to his optics when in Alt mode, he saw her shake her head; unable to hide her massive grin, "Nope." She stated simply, making a long, drawn out 'n' sound and popping the 'p' on the end. In return, the Prime gave another heavy sigh.

"Alright…if you insist…"

_He didn't remember anything about being offline; it was nothing but a complete lapse of consciousness. Like that of a person blacking out; his knowledge of time, surroundings and situation had been entirely wiped since Megatron had sent him into what should have been a permanent stasis._

_That was why when he suddenly felt a sharp, cold pulse of Energon shoot through him from his chest, when the sky began to fizzle into view; and the feeling of dust gathered in the back of his throat passage, he was unquestionably stunned and confused. He choked out the offending particles, and suddenly everything that had happened previously flashed through his memory circuits._

_He had died…_

_Sam was clambering down from his form, and as Optimus pushed a parachute cover off his body he realized; he had been revived by him. His Spark swelled proudly at his human friend's determination. "Boy, you returned for me."_

_The teenager looked up at him in something between disbelief and elation, but before he could say anything in response, a voice cut into the reunion._

"_A living Prime!" came a sputtering laugh. Optimus turned to see a Decepticon; looking at him with an expression of complete admiration and awe before he laughed again; almost maniacally, "I don't believe it!"_

_He looked up in the direction of an energy source that registered on his sensors, attempting to stand up before a warp of malicious energy appeared in front of him, knocking him over before warping rapidly to another position; the dangerous looking being swinging a weapon of some kind. It then leapt at Optimus and reached for a glowing silver piece of metal that was then forced from his chest. Optimus recognized it immediately; the Matrix of Leadership and that was when he recognized the creature as The Fallen from the Cybertronian legends._

_The Fallen crushed its foot into his chest and rumbled, "My Matrix..." before forcing him back to the ground and warping away._

_Then he heard Sam's voice; frantic and terrified as it screamed to him, "Get up, get up, get up!" he could hear the boy scrambling in the sand as he struggled to climb to his feet._

"_Get up Prime!" called another voice._

_Sam roared at him now, his voice cracking from the volume, "He's turning on the machine! You gotta stop him! Get up!" his voice raised even louder into a distressed scream, "OPTIMUS!" _

_Optimus couldn't help but think to himself, _I've only just come back from being dead, and yet I am _still_ the one they turn to…_ His head hung exhaustedly as he tried to gather his strength, sitting up with great effort. That was when he noticed the angry, glowing sun catch its light on something against his chest as he rose. A tiny, barely visible cross glinted against the dark metal of his torso and he recognised it. The necklace Tessa was always wearing…Why was it with him?_

_There was a deafening whir, and he realized that it was the beastly machine that harvested Energon. If the machine destroyed the Earth's sun, then Sam would be killed, N.E.S.T would be destroyed; the human race would be gone…__Tessa__ would be gone._

No_, he thought, _not Tessa_!_

_He struggled to move; his body was still weak from the offline stasis as he tried to haul himself up. That was when the voice of the Decepticon rang through his ears. _

"_All my Decepticon life, I never did a thing worth doing until now." He sounded almost sad, a valiant tone rising in his voice at his next words, "Optimus," he pleaded breathlessly, "take my parts, and you will have a power you've never known. Fulfil your destiny." The Decepticon dug his hand into his wounded body, and tore out his own Spark before collapsing to the ground._

_Not wanting the newfound, short-lived ally's sacrifice to have been in vain, he forced himself towards the body of the Decepticon; crawling on his knees and elbows as Ratchet quickly began his process._

"_Jolt! Electrify!" the electrical whips that the blue Autobot usually used to fight with shot out and attached themselves to each of the "patients" one to Optimus and the other to the fallen Decepticon, "Transplant those afterburners!"_

_Electricity coursed through his body, he could feel the power regenerating him as chunks of metal and massive weapons began to fly onto him; attaching themselves wherever they would fit. It was an unimaginable feeling, sheer strength and capability were coursing through him, and as the procedure completed he looked down at the cross dangling from between the plates of his chest. Bracing himself, he activated the jets and growled, "Let's roll."_

_Then he fired himself into the air and headed for his foe._

_-0-0-0-0-0-_

_A violent battle then ensued; and after he had finally destroyed the threat to his friends, he had made an almost majestic show of relinquishing the new weapons he bore. Yes, it was true that the fallen Decepticon's parts had given him an unbelievable power but it had served its purpose in defending those he cared about; it was not a power he wanted under his command for any given length of time._

_He was a leader, not a warlord; he didn't want such destructive power at his disposal._

_He caught eye contact with Sam, who had his arms embraced around his mate Mikaela; the two of them locked in each other. Optimus felt his Spark tremble at a memory that flashed through his processors; he saw Tessa's face in the moment where they had almost…._

_A heavy, relieved sigh escaped him as his thoughts trailed off. He had defeated the Fallen; which meant that Tessa was safe regardless._

"_You did well Optimus." Came a voice from the ground, that was when he looked down and saw Lennox, Graham and Epps with their guns at their chests; their faces full of triumph. They had fought bravely in this battle, and as a commander he could not have asked for a more valiant group of soldiers to call his comrades._

_Epps shot him a massive, overjoyed grin as he looked up to face the massive bot. "Well, we'd better get everyone to the Fleet, big man. I have a feeling that there's a little mechanic on board who's waiting for you."_

"_Tessa-?" the Prime exclaimed, "She saw…the results of the battle…?"_

"_If by results, you mean your dead body being brought back to base…then yeah." Lennox replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. For as long as he lived, he would never forget the girl's pain; the hurt he'd seen her express in the most heartbreaking of ways. "She didn't leave your side, Optimus. Hell she wouldn't even let us move her inside to sleep. She just…stayed with you."_

"_What…about this?" the Autobot leader asked, confused as he gestured to the cross dangling between his chest plates; having to bend onto one knee so that the soldiers could see clearly, "Am I correct in believing that it is hers?"_

_All three of the army men inspected it, but none of them could confirm. _

"_It certainly _looks_ like hers." Graham said, "But…I didn't see her attach it."_

"_Me either." Epps said ponderingly, his finger on his chin, "Although…I gotta tell you; now that I think about it, I haven't notice it on her since we left base…Mind you the damned thing was so tiny that I never really took much notice of it."_

_Lennox creased his brow in thought as he looked at the dainty, almost invisible pendant. "To be honest, Optimus…It wouldn't surprise me if she'd given it to you. You didn't…see her; how she reacted when they brought you back." He seemed to laugh at a memory, "She socked it to Galloway for calling you a pile of scrap metal."_

_To Optimus' surprise, Epps began to holler with laughter, "Oh man, what I wouldn't give to have seen that again!" he snickered, "but I tell you what man, it hit her __hard__."_

"_-What hit who hard?" came a voice from next to them._

_All of the soldiers and the Prime turned to see Sam looking up at them with curiosity written on his face. Lennox was the one who answered him._

"_Our mechanic, Tessa; when they brought Optimus back to base after he sacrificed himself…she didn't take it well."_

_Sam noticed the pained expression flash across the Autobot's face at the mention, a notion which intrigued him, "What happened?" he asked._

_Epps looked up at the Prime with a concerned expression, "You sure you wanna hear this, big boss?"_

"_Tell me." He ordered calmly. However none of the males in the congregation missed the desperate, needing tone in his voice. He didn't _want_ to know how Tessa had reacted; he __needed__ to. Sam didn't fail to pick up on the concern in the regal leader's voice._

_Lennox gave a sigh and looked at the ground as he remembered the day in question. "She…broke. She just dropped to her knees next to you and…stayed there. Well…that is until Galloway showed up. She said things to him that could make even a foul-mouthed sailor cringe…" he smiled at the thought before continuing, "…but after that she just stayed with you, I think she fell asleep out on the tarmac; because nothing we said to her would make her leave you…"_

_The Prime exhaled heavily with an almost shuddering undertone. He was surprised to feel physically _hurt_ that she had been forced to go through so much. Sam, however; was looking up at him with the expression of a child who had found out a worldwide secret, he coughed to try and hide his laughter as he addressed his 32 foot friend._

"_So…you and this Tessa girl are…an __item__?" he inquired, wiggling his eyebrow in a strangely silly, incredibly _teenage_ way. However being a Cybertronian, Optimus didn't understand what he meant by the "item" term Sam used. Did it mean an object, or equipment; some sort of Earth lingo that he was __supposed__ to understand? He turned to the soldiers, looking for help._

_Epps snickered at him. "He's asking if you and Tess are together, like _lover _together."_

_Suddenly realizing what was being asked, he felt his intake cycle cut and he began to sputter from what could have been described as subtle embarrassment. He had never recalled Sam being this…__blunt__ before! Was there something amusing about his fondness for Tessa?_

"_I am not the girl's mate, Sam; if that is what you are asking." He said, trying to retain his composure as the leader; straightening his shoulders and trying to avoid a rush of Energon going to his facial plates. His words became quick, trying to piece together the right sentences. "Not that the idea is unpleasant…Not to say that I would be- But I certainly don't dislike the suggestion of- If I were to-"_

_He was cut off by Sam laughing loudly, bent over in amusement as he tried to breathe. "I don't believe this-you're actually embarrassed!" he hollered, choking as he tried to calm himself. "Man…she must really be something, huh?"_

"_She is." Optimus replied without hesitation; something that made Sam grin. He knew what it felt like to care that much about someone, reminiscing the feeling as he looked over to Mikaela with a warm smile; then he turned back to his friend._

"_Don't worry, Optimus; I won't say anything." He teased, "Probably…"_

_A sound came over the frequency of Lennox's radio, and he stopped to raise it to his ear and listen before turning to the rest of them. "That was Simmons. Let's go pick him up and get everyone somewhere safe…It's been a hell of a day…"_

_No words exchanged between any of them after that, they just basked in the silent triumph of their victory that day; they were all alive…_

Tessa couldn't help but feel the blood flush to her cheeks, and she was unable to wipe the flattered grin off her face; her face prickling from the blush.

"That's…so sweet." she smiled at him, tucking herself deeply into the blankets in the trucks cabin, "You…really said that?"

She heard a deep, very exhausted sigh come from the speakers; it was clear that he was as worn out as she was. However he responded to her easily, "I would be lying if I claimed I wasn't attracted to you."

Her smile froze, her eyes widened and her blush spread all the way to her toes. Had he just…? Wow… She'd never have expected him to be so…_abrupt_ when it came to matters like this. However he hadn't taken notice of her reaction, because he continued with what he was saying.

"But even so, I'm afraid that I am not certain how this should be acted upon; what I should do. The human form of courtship is so different from Cybertron." He said calmly, his tone completely level as he regarded his words. There was no shame in his voice; neither of them had ever denied that there was something flickering between them. Tessa had to smile at what she knew his concern was. He feared that he should be acting upon what he was feeling, probably using the internet and human romance movies as his guide; which as anybody in the real world knew, was _not_ the sort of stuff you based your relationships off of.

She decided to correct him.

She leaned over the back of the seats from the sleep cabin and looked into the rear-view mirror; gently trailing her fingers along the interior's leather as she rested her head on the chair. "You don't have to do anything, Chief. Stuff like this is complicated for humans; it often takes a lot time. All you need to do is just…be you; if something happens between the two people involved, then so be it; but the best thing for people to do in a situation like ours is to just…let the chips fall where they may. We'll just go on as we always have; and see where it goes from there."

A simple, rumbling "Mm" was his form of agreement; relieved that she understood his concerns, and even more relieved that she accepted them. Accepted _him_.

She noticed the truck tremble a little as her stained fingers traced gently in the grooves of the leather seating, and she hesitated just a little before she murmured sleepily to him, "Is…this bothering you, Optimus?"

A relaxed hiss came from the air-conditioning vents before he replied to her. "No…" he said tiredly, "…it feels wonderful."

The exhausted, dreamy tone in his voice caused a smile to creep into the corners of her mouth; becoming almost mischievous as she regarded his words. "I'll keep that in mind..." She whispered cheekily. Her eyelids were starting to pull heavily again, and she realized just how tired they both were; it had been a long day for everyone involved in this godforsaken war. She gently patted the seat before planted a quick kiss to the shoulder of it and lying down on the cushioned padding; tucking the blanket over herself.

"Get some sleep, Chief." She murmured with a smile, feeling her eyes close as if they weighed like lead. She heard a chuckle from the speakers; almost teasing in its tone.

"I don't sleep, I stasis." He retorted.

Tessa opened one eye and gave him a playful, mocking glare in the rear-view mirror. "Fine. _Stasis_ then." She scoffed at him before closing her eye again. Her voice then lowered to a mumble as she began to drift away.

"Smart ass sexy truck…"


	23. Somewhere I Belong

**Just to point out to you guys; this fanfiction is now in between movie storylines!**

**Revenge of The Fallen is finished, and Dark of The Moon doesn't take place for another three years.**

**As a result, the next Story Arc of Primary Mechanisms is going to be about the years in between and how Optimus and Tessa develop and grow in their interactions; eventually turning it into admitted romance. So don't go expecting Sentinel to shop up for a while hahaha.**

**We're going off script now; so a lot of chapters are going to be fluffy fillers and character developments; possibly even some flashbacks of Tessa's childhood but I'm not sure yet.**

**I'm just making it up as I go along, so bear with me guys.**

**Also, if you have any ideas for a chapter then by all means, please hit up the fanpage and throw some thoughts my way; there will be plenty of room for slightly AU side-stories in the next few months.**

**Until I get my DVD release of Dark of The Moon (**_**which need I remind you is STILL in cinemas at the moment**_**) then I will not be moving on to the storyline of the third movie. As such, I was planning on putting this story on hiatus until I could get my hands on a copy, but I figured you guys wouldn't be too happy with me if I did that, right? ;)**

**So instead I'm going to do a whole Arc on the three years in between; because I feel there's a lot of story still left to be told in there!**

**WOW! Long Author's Note is LONG!**

**ENJOY THE CHAPTER, MY FANTASTIC READERS!**

When the base of Diego Garcia had finally come into view on the horizon, Tess felt more relief than she'd ever experienced in her life. This was the place that had always been safe; the place where her Autobots and her soldiers could rest their hearts and lick their wounds.

And in some ways…it was where her life had truly _begun_, because now when she thought of being without N.E.S.T, or any of the Autobots; it damn near broke her heart. She couldn't imagine her life without them now, and she knew that there would never be any turning back from this war no matter what; not that she _ever_ planned to turn and run.

After the aircraft had landed safely on the runway and the troupe of Alt formed Autobots pulled off into the main hangar, she gave a contented sigh from the driver's seat of the Peterbilt. "You're finally home, Optimus." She said happily, patting the steering wheel with a fond affection. Her jet lag was unreal; after all they'd gone from Diego Garcia, to New Jersey, then to Egypt and finally _back_ to Diego Garcia, all in the span of just a few short days.

It felt like it had been forever, and her body was paying the price.

She lolled her head back against the seat and yawned. Every muscle in her body ached from exhaustion; she'd never been a very good traveller, even as a child her family vacations to California had always taken a massive toll on her body. Flying always took it out of her; and as Optimus sensed her weariness, the radio cracked to life when they entered the Autobots' hangar.

"Are you alright, Tessa?" he asked her gently, rolling the truck into the hangar and coming to a gentle halt.

She ran her fingers through her tangled mass of hair and piled it high on her scalp; leaning against the headrest to keep it off her neck. "Never better; I'm just looking forward to going home, having some _godforsaken_ Skittles and getting some much needed sleep."

"Would you like me to drive you home?" he asked her gently.

She gave another yawn and shook her head, knowing he could see her. "You don't have to do that. You need some time to rest too, Chief."

There was a brief pause over the radio before his question changed into a request.

"…._May I_ drive you home?"

A blush crossed her cheeks at the words that came out of the speakers, unable to hide her flattered grin, "Well I guess when you put it like that…" she teased, "…how could I possibly refuse?" however she stopped and thought about something for a minute before continuing though, "But what I'm going to do first, is go and collect my things, so stretch your legs for a little while okay?"

She gently ran a hand over the seat, trailing her fingers softly over the leather; delighting in the opportunity to relax him a little. She knew the effect that the tiny touches would have had on the Autobot and she was glad that she had a way to comfort him; even if it was only something as small as a gesture. The engine to the truck cut out and she took this as confirmation to her words and unclipped her seatbelt to climb out of the cabin. Her hand trailed on the door handle and she stepped down onto the concrete. "I'll see you in a few minutes." She smiled, patting the door gently before it closed on its own.

As she made her way towards the locker rooms she passed the other Autobots, who were all in their true forms; and she waved at them with a smile that was full of more energy than she'd had in the last few days. Everyone was safe now…She had no need to fear for them. Upon entering the women's locker room, she headed straight for hers and jammed it open. Her duffel bag and a set of her "off-the-job" clothes were stuffed in the bottom, with her cell-phone tucked into the side of the bag. She pulled it out and nearly had a heart attack when she checked the screen.

_36 missed calls._

_21 voice messages._

_41 text messages._

"Oh shit." She hissed, having completely forgotten that there were people who would have noticed her absence. He mind had been so frazzled the last few days that she hadn't given it a single thought.

Upon checking the I.D, she realized that the calls, messages and voicemails were all from Riley, her father, her mother and Aaron. Most of the text messages consisted of "_Where are you?_" before they eventually escalated into "_What's going on? Are you okay?_" and the voicemails were the sounds of her worried family members. She looked at the cell-phone and realized that she didn't have enough battery left to call anybody; after all her phone had been left in the locker for several days without being charged.

Instead she decided to send a quick text message to Riley, who was basically the most direct contact to the rest of the family. She punched in the buttons and clicked send.

**Everything's fine. Important stuff at work, but on my way home now. Phone is about to die, call you later. Sorry! Tess x**

Only moments later, her phone had figuratively "shit itself" as her father would have so delicately put it. She tapped it on the side of the locker, already knowing that the effort was useless; the battery was dead so it wasn't going to magically come back to life.

"Crapsticks…" she murmured under her breath; annoyed at herself for having not told them she was leaving before, "Oh well. At least Riley knows everything's okay; he should be able to pacify Mom and Dad…Maybe not Aaron…"

She had to laugh to herself at the thought of her middle brother; the brazen, rough-tempered truckie who spent most of his time driving through the southern states with a rifle on the passenger seat and a beer in the drink holder. He would probably be worried more due to his lack of closeness; the last she'd heard from him was that he was driving through Alabama to deliver some livestock.

Stretching her arms above her head to try and ease out the stiffness in her muscles, she then pulled off the army uniform she had been wearing the last few days and changed into her own clothes. It wasn't much, just a set of faded denim jeans, a grey singlet and an old, black zip-up hoodie of her father's that was much too big for her. She tossed her knotted mass of hair into a sloppy bun and pulled her boots back on before slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder. Glancing at the locker room mirror as she exited, she noticed that she looked a little bit like a redneck; with her stained, heavy boots, messy hair and oversized jacket. The thought made her laugh at herself.

As she re-entered the hangar, she noticed Lennox by the exit to the men's locker room; dressed in neat casual clothes with his cell-phone to his ear. He was probably on the phone to his wife Sarah; he'd told Tessa about her and his baby girl Annabelle. Not wanting to interrupt the reunion, she shot him a smile and a goodbye wave, both of which he returned, before she made her way towards the figure of the towering Prime.

He turned to view her as she approached him, bending down onto one knee to address her. "Feel better?" he asked softly.

Tessa snorted almost sardonically as she hoisted the bag up her shoulder before she answered him, "Chief, I'll be happy when I have a belly full of Skittles, my hair is washed and I'm curled up in my bed ready to sleep for a week." She laughed at him, scratching her head tiredly, "I'm ready to go when you are."

He gave a nod and stood to his full height; beginning the transformation into the Peterbilt with the hydraulic whirring and hissing that she had become so accustomed to. As the blue and red custom painted vehicle came to form in front of her, the door swung open to the driver's seat and Tessa grinned at the gesture. After she climbed in and swung the massive door shut behind her, she felt the seatbelt coil around her torso and secure itself firmly.

She grinned into the rear-view mirror as the engine rumbled to life.

"You know, every time I watch you transform like that; it just reminds me of how weird my life is." She exclaimed at him as she watched the gearstick shift and the truck began to exit the hangar.

"Weird…?" he said quietly, sounding a little bothered by the word.

That was when she realized that the sentence could probably have been taken the wrong way, and she gently curled her fingers around the steering wheel. "I mean weird in a good way. Like…_different_, you know? I just…don't know what I ever did without you guys."

"…I must confess that since you came to us, Ratchet's workload has halved; he's been much more pleasant to be around, so I've heard." He responded to her, his voice had a lightly playful edge to it; something Tessa didn't fail to notice.

"Well now, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were poking fun at the poor guy. Can't be easy for him to have to put up with Sideswipe _and_ Ironhide's antics." She laughed whole heartedly, watching the horizon as they drove. "Poor guy's blood pressure would go through the roof! Well…it would if he was human." She scoffed at her own statement after that.

A heavy, baritone chuckle came through the speakers as he continued to speak. "Nevertheless, we have all greatly benefitted from your abilities, and your research theories; I dislike remembering how _we_ ever managed without _you_."

She snorted, playfully hitting the seat as she laughed. "Don't be silly, Chief. So I rattle with some engines and write down a few ideas for new ones, _you_ guys are the ones always out their risking your necks to protect us. I'm just the scrub that buffs and polishes." Tessa gave a grin and another laugh as she joked at him. In comparison to the Autobots, her part in their war was small; and not just height-wise. They were the guardians of a people that didn't even _know_ of their existence, and to her; it was an honour just to know them.

To her surprise, Optimus gave a perturbed "Hm…" before she heard him sigh decisively through the speakers. A few seconds of silence passed before she felt the air inside the cabin begin to tingle with static; her hair starting to frizz at the ends a little. Tiny electrical sparks began to form in the passenger seat next to her, a strange blue tendril; like that of one of those static balls in science museums shaped itself into a loosely curved straight line. It looked like it was forming a spine made of electricity and several tiny electrical pulsed stemmed from a glowing blue ball of energy that attached to it; where a heart would have been. The electrical bursts began to form an outline of a person, and within a few seconds the form solidified and gained colour.

Optimus' Holoform was sitting beside her.

She was stunned, she'd seen the creation dissipate once, but had never actually seen the _originating_ process before; she'd been looking away from him both times he'd used it. Her mouth hung open a little ungracefully before snapping when she realized that he was watching her intensely. The truck was still rolling happily down the highway; showing no signs of bother at the fact that neither of the cabin's occupants were taking care of the steering wheel. This fact in and of itself awed Tessa at the level of control the Autobot displayed while driving. The only impressive thing _she_ could do on the road was changing gears while eating a cheeseburger.

"Tessa…" he said to her, snapping her out of her own silly train of thought, "You are not…a _scrub_ to us. What you do gives us the capability to keep fighting; do not belittle the strength you give us."

He was looking at her with those glowing blue irises, their intensity _piercing_ right to her soul. She could not help but marvel the magnificence of them, and the fact that they looked so much like the optics of his real form; fierce and gentle, wise and kind. She'd never seen anything like them. She gave him an apologetic smile before casting a quick glance at the road.

"I'm sorry, Chief…" she murmured, looking back at him. Trying not to unnerve herself in the wake of his gaze, she gave him a big smile, scratching the back of her neck. "I guess I'm just so used to being the mangy little grease monkey that-"

A finger on her lips stopped her words, and the Holoform sighed deeply; his eyes cast on the horizon as the truck drove on, before he turned to her with a serious expression.

"You are anything but mangy, I assure you." He stated, leaving no room for doubt that she could question. His finger hovered softly over her mouth as his eyes slid shut and he sighed, offering her a gentle smile. Then the digit traced her lower lip tenderly before allowing his hand to fall away.

Tessa felt a wonderful Warm-Fuzzy sidle its way around her body at his words. She felt herself smile as a prickle danced across her cheeks, before she looked up at him with that same smile. She stretched her hand out towards him and gently traced her fingers from the crook of his elbow, over his wrist and trailing over his surprisingly calloused hand.

He looked at her with an expression of surprised interest as she did so, and was pleasantly startled when she gently scooped her hand under his and laced his fingers into hers.

"Thanks…" she whispered with a tiny grin, moving her fingers ever so gently between his.

The interactions she instigated always both confused and fascinated him. Things were different on Cybertron. Gestures such as physical contact, or the holding of hands like this, were not actions that Transformers were naturally inclined to do; they courted with the emotion of one's Spark; compatible intellect and shared views that were connected on a much deeper level than physically contacting another body. But he found that this motion she did with her hand, tracing circles over the skin of his Holoform's own appendage with her fingers; provided a strange warmth and comfort that he'd never experienced before.

It was _definitely_ a part of human culture he could grow to appreciate.

The two of them sat like that for the remainder of the trip; neither needing to say a word as a comfortable silence settled between them. It was just a relief that they now had time for moments like this; with The Fallen destroyed and Megatron in hiding. All they could do was wait, and if that was how it had to be; they were damn well going to take the time to enjoy the temporary peace. As they pulled into Tessa's street, she noticed a car parked on her weed-choked lawn; a beat up, white utility vehicle with a ladder in the truck bed and large paint tins lobbed around it. She knew the car immediately, and her eyes widened in surprise as they pulled up into her driveway.

Turning to Optimus, she unlaced her fingers gently from his and squinted at the person standing on her porch, watching the goliath Peterbilt with an astonished expression. A man in about his mid-to-late 50's with a full head of greying, copper brown hair, a stocky build and strong square jaw. He was dressed in a pair of faded denim jeans, a red checked flannel shirt and a pair of well-worn runners. "Just, wait here for a second…" she said gently to Optimus; thankful that the windows of the truck were heavily tinted and could not be seen through. As she turned to exit the truck, she felt a hand grasp her wrist tenderly, and she turned to see that the Holoform had a worried look on his face.

"Is he a threat? Do you want me on standby?" he asked, concernedly.

Tessa snorted a laugh out and gently removed her arm from his fingers, gently touching his face with a smile, "Not even close, Chief. He wouldn't hurt a hair on my head; I can promise you." She noticed the relief wash over his features as he nodded and tenderly moved his hand away from her. Assured that he knew everything was alright, she opened the door to the truck and climbed down swiftly before closing the door behind her and turning to face the person standing in awe on her front steps.

"What are you doing here," she asked; preparing herself for the scolding of a _lifetime_, "…Dad?"


	24. Hell and Consequences

**Hey there wonderful readers!**

**This chapter is semi filler/semi meet-the-parents, because although Optimus does meet Tessa's dad in this one; it's not as her "partner" so don't go getting too excited yet ;P**

**I just wanted to show a little bit of Tessa's relationship to one of her parents, because although her sibling's family has made brief appearances throughout the story; we haven't actually MET them yet.**

**So in advance, I apologise if this chapter lacks lustre; but it's just a stepping stone into Tessa's previous everyday life, Pre-Autobots.**

**I hope you enjoy it nonetheless :)**

"Dad," Tessa repeated, "what are you doing here?"

The broad shoulder man in front of her narrowed his eyes furiously, worry evident in his features. "Teresa Cecily Jackson!" he roared at her as he descended the stairs, "You go missing for a week and you're asking me what I'm _doing_ here?"

She felt the Peterbilt next to her rumble its engine a little and she put her hand against it, muttering under her breathe, "Easy Chief, it's okay."

When her father reached her, his face was red and she could see that his eyes were as well. He threw his strong arms around her and gave her a bone-crushing hug as he sighed in relief. "Kiddo, we thought something had happened to you. We were so worried…"

She smiled fondly over his shoulder as she returned his warm embrace, realizing just how much she had _missed_ her dad's bear hugs.

Phil Jackson was by all accounts, a usually gruff and strict disciplinary in her childhood; but he was also the teacher and enforcer of her deepest values, a hard worker who had provided for them and was a wonderful, warm father to his three children. Some of her best memories had been spent with him.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to scare you like that." She said to him as he let her go.

Having recovered from his initial worry, Phil pulled back and gave a sniff; obviously trying the recover from almost crying. Tessa was, after all, his youngest child and only daughter; his little girl. It made sense for him to have been so distraught.

"So, why did you disappear like that; without even a word? What happened?" he asked, his expression still looking like she was probably going to get a scolding if her answer was too vague. This in itself posed a problem.

This was her father, and she could no more lie to him than to anyone else but on the other hand; N.E.S.T's actions required confidentiality and there was _so much_ that she wasn't allowed to tell him. Her breath caught in her throat at the predicament; what was she supposed to do? Come up with a story that could cover her, or snip parts of the real story; or should she tell him that she _couldn't_ tell him? She c_ertainly_ couldn't tell him the truth; she could just imagine how THAT would go down.

"_I had to go to Egypt with a military branch that doesn't exist so that they could bring a dead, alien robot back to life to stop another robot alien from blowing up our sun and destroying life as we know it; you know, just another day at the office."_

Oh yeah…that would sit _really_ well…

"Well…you see…What happened was…" she stumbled to try and say something; he was staring at her waiting for an answer that she didn't even have yet, "Um…What it was-"

"-Perhaps I can fill you in, sir?" came a deep, baritone voice. Tessa turned in surprise to see Optimus' Holoform climbing down from the passenger side of the Peterbilt.

He was dressed in a navy blue military suit; like that of a commander or general, with three red arrow lines on the right sleeve pointing downwards. They were clearly like the marks of an air force uniform; reflecting rank or class. His dark, blue-black hair was tucked underneath a navy blue officer's cap and the jacket had several ceremonial badges and medals on the left hand side; one of these subtly bore the symbol of the Autobots.

"Chief?" she asked in surprise. As she watched him walk around the front of the truck, a less-than-innocent thought sprang into her mind.

_Obviously they can change the Holoform's outfits then…__damn it__ Optimus, do you have __any__ idea what this could do to my self-restraint?_

She couldn't help but find the professional appearance of his Holoform incredibly attractive, but she guessed that was nothing new; women always loved a man in uniform. Hopefully _he_ didn't realize that.

By now, the Holoform had reached the two of them and was holding his hand out firmly to Tessa's father; clearly the Prime was more than familiar with the gesture after having been on Earth so long. "My name is Optimus Prime. Miss Jackson is one of the mechanics under our employ; it's a pleasure to meet you."

Tess nearly died at the solid, confident tone of authority that he carried in his voice. He looked like the very image of a military commander, and her father didn't miss this fact. He gave a confused smile, but returned the handshake firmly.

"Phillip Jackson, Teresa is my daughter," she cringed when he used her full name. Her father always knew how to embarrass her, even if it _was_ unintentionally; that's what parents were for. "So, why are _you_ here too?"

Optimus kept a passive, neutral face as he looked down at Tessa, giving her the bare corner of a smile before turning back to the man in front of him. "I am the commander of our division; Tessa is our on-site mechanic. I thought that since she had to leave on such short notice for our last venture, you should be duly informed of the situation; as much as I am able to fill you in." his voice was calm, almost rehearsed. Holy _crap_, she hadn't realized he was so diplomatic!

The answer seemed to satisfy her father and he smiled in his usual, friendly manner, "Well I appreciate it. She certainly had us all worried-"

"-Hey Dad; why don't we go inside instead of standing out in my driveway? I'm really tired…" she started. Optimus placed a professional hand on her back; appearing simply like a guiding gesture. Concealed from her father's view though, his thumb gently traced a light circle against her spine in the only form of comfort he could offer her right now; he knew just how exhausted she was.

"Sure thing," Phil nodded, "sounds like a good idea."

Dropping his hand from her back, Optimus followed the two humans into Tessa's home; with Tessa leading the way so that she could shove the jamming door open. One thing in her mind was certain though…

She wasn't dealing with this until she'd had some damned _Skittles_!

-0-0-0-0-0-

"So let me get this straight, Commander…" Phil began, sitting at his daughter's small dining room table with a mug of strong black coffee in his hand and his eyes focused on 'Chief Optimus' across from him, "Tessa's job is for an arm of the military that I'm not _allowed_ to know the name of-"

"-For safety and confidentiality of course." The Prime cut in.

"Right, and in this military she fixes and improves the army vehicle's engines…" both Tessa and Optimus nodded as the man continued, "and on this division's most recent mission; the vehicles were going to be travelling a massive distance to a battle in a place you can't _tell_ me about-"

"-For safety and confidentiality, remember." Tessa pointed out, raising her finger poignantly as she tried to supress a smirk.

He sighed and nodded, continuing his confirmation, "…so that she could fix these vehicles along the way to make them ready for this…_war_ that I'm not allowed to be aware of?"

"Yes." Optimus said calmly. Tessa sat between the two men, munching her Skittles with great relish; so relieved to have some that she didn't even care when she found lemon ones. Her relief at Optimus' cover story was indescribable; he'd spun a believable tale without disclosing important confidential information, but at the same time not leaving her father in the dark about what it was she did. And she didn't have to lie to him!

Phil gave a heavy sigh and drank deeply from his coffee mug before running a hand through his peppering brown hair; the remaining coloured strands were a fair amount darker than Tessa's own, considering she got most of the copper tone from her mother. Finally he breathed in deeply and looked at the two them firmly.

"I don't like this…I don't want Teresa in danger-"

"I assure you, sir; I will _not_ allow any harm to befall your daughter-"

Phil raised his hand at the younger man; not being disrespectful, just with an authority that only a father could possibly possess. "-You didn't let me finish, Commander. I dislike the situation very much," he turned his gaze to Tessa; who looked worried at what he was going to saying next, "…but she seems happy. As long as she's safe and protected; I won't stand in her way."

The relief she felt wash over her at his words was indescribable and she smiled at her father, placing her hand over his gently, "Thank you Dad," she murmured to him, "I appreciate it."

There was a brief moment of silence before Optimus slid back his chair and stood with his hands calmly rested on the table. "Well, now that this has all been cleared up, Tessa I am going to leave you to get some sleep; I have some things to attend to back at base. Please, take a few days off to _rest_."

He caught eyes with her, and the ice blue orbs left no room for mistaking; he was telling her not to do anything strenuous, he wanted her to recuperate. She nodded, trying to supress a smirk as she addressed him in a professional manner for sake of the image in front of her father, "Thank you, sir."

Satisfied that things were in order, Phillip also rose from his seat, "I'll be leaving too, Kiddo; I'll let you rest." He said tiredly as he placed a hand affectionately on her head, "When I got the call from Riley that he'd finally heard from you I left in the middle of a job to see if you were home safe."

It was only then that she noticed the coloured splashes all over his clothes and she gave a sigh at his insistence; despite her appreciation at the gesture. Her father was a painter by trade, he painted houses for a living; one of her favourite childhood memories had been going to work with him on weekends and even now, the smell of fresh paint made her heart swell with happiness.

"Of course Dad, don't worry; I'm fine. You go back." She smiled as she stood up, "Let me walk you both out."

As she did so, Phillip turned to Optimus and gave a chuckle, "By the way, son; that's a mighty fine truck you two rolled up in. Damn near dropped my jaw to the ground seeing that thing pull up; does it belong to you?"

Optimus had to supress the urge to smirk, "In a way, yes; It currently resides with our military arm. However if I were to leave; the truck would go with me."

Phil nodded in appreciation. Having a son who drove trucks and a daughter with an obsession for tinkering with them; he'd certainly developed a little know-how over the course of the years. He knew a nice truck when he saw one, and this example was pristine. He turned to Tess as they neared the porch stairs, Optimus walking down to reach the ground first.

"I'll bet that truck is the reason you wanted to work there, right Tessie?" he grinned cheekily.

Her cheeks flamed red, but before she could answer; Optimus turned at the bottom of the steps and looked from her to her father with a cheeky, knowing little smile that could have easily been missed. "Her professional diagnosis was that it was…_sexy_. Isn't that right, Miss Jackson?"

_OH God is it even possible for me to BE any redder? _She thought; evidently it was because her skin went from pink to scarlet at his words as she mumbled out a reply, "Something like that…sir…"

Her father seemed completely oblivious to his daughter's humiliation; which in a way she guessed was a good thing. He wasn't aware that the truck she'd been so impressed by, was also the 'Commander' in front of him.

"Well, in any case; I appreciate you clearing up the details…well…the ones I was _allowed_ to know." He joked.

It made Tessa smile in relief to see him accept what he couldn't know. He'd always been a reasonable man and his heart had always been in the right place; his lifelong values were the ones that she held closest to her heart, so it was comforting to know that he accepted her situation.

Optimus reached up to shake his hand one last time before he made his way to the Peterbilt, started the thundering engine and rumbled out of the driveway. A few minutes after, her father followed suit; but only after Tessa had promised to be careful and received a lovely little 'never pull a stunt like that for as long as you live' lecture from him. She'd hugged him firmly and promised.

So now, _finally_, she was home on her own.

She ate an entire packet of Skittles, chugged a massive amount of juice, had an hour long, _scalding_ shower; and changed into her comfiest 'house clothes' in preparation to go to sleep. It was still only late afternoon, but her body clock was confused and frazzled; so she didn't really care about the time.

Shuffling through the house dressed in a pair of baggy grey slacks, an oversized white t-shirt and an odd pair of socks, she stretched with relish and retrieved a glass of water to put at her bedside for when she woke up. Just as she sat down on her bed, the phone sitting on her side table started to ring; but it was an unknown number that came up on the screen.

"Now who could this be…?" she asked herself aloud as it rang; eventually shrugging her shoulders to herself, "Only one way to find out…"

She clicked the answer button and raised it to her ear, keeping her tone short; but friendly.

"Hello?"

"_Tessa. It's Optimus._" Came a familiar baritone voice.

She nearly choked on her own oxygen intake at the sound of his voice over her cell phone, "Ch-Chief? What are you doing…with a phone?"

"_I'm not using one. I merely tapped into the line's frequency to contact you. Did I…I didn't wake you from stasis did I?_" he asked, suddenly concerned that he'd interrupted the rest that _he_ had told her to get.

"No, no Chief, not at all; I was actually just getting ready for bed now. Is everything okay?"

"_I just wanted to ensure that I hadn't overstepped any boundaries by appearing in front of your male parental creator. I assumed that people on your planet are comforted by the appearance of a human in authority._"

She scoffed back a sleepy laugh as she laid down on her bed, pulling the covers over herself, "Oh believe me Optimus; you looked very…authorative…" she muttered; smiling with exhausted relief that she didn't have to try and hide her blush with him being on the other end of the phone; he was unable to see her and she was far too tired to have tried to hide it in the first place. "The uniform was- um… Well, it was very _becoming_ on you." She murmured.

She could have sworn she heard an amused chuckle come from the other end of the line. "_Thank you._" He replied, the sound of a smirk easily detectable in his tone.

Although she knew he was teasing her, Tess couldn't help but admire his spunk. He was so much more light-hearted than his soldiers probably realized, after all; she'd had the privilege of seeing a side to him that probably not many others had.

Feeling her face burn nonetheless, she replied with a tired whisper, "You're welcome…"

Only a_fter_ she'd said it, did she realize just how…_seductive_ it sounded. She quickly tried to cover it up with her next sentence, "A-Anyway, you didn't overstep any boundaries; it was actually a really smart move, Chief. At least now he won't have to worry so much about me."

On the other end, he made a noise of agreement before clearing his throat and making his tone serious, "_You must rest now, it has been a long week for you._" He said firmly.

Smiling, Tessa knew that he was not going to let her debate on this; not that she had any intention of it. Still, the gesture was sweet.

"Sir, yes sir." She replied cheekily, "I'll talk to you soon."

"_Without a doubt._"

Hanging up her phone, she set it on her bedside table gently before snuggling back into her covers; the late afternoon sun casting a warm orange glow from behind the heavy curtains. She gave a smile to herself as she closed her eyes exhaustedly, "_Very_ becoming on you, Optimus…" she murmured drowsily. Relief set into her body and she melted into the covers, savouring the feeling of being in her own bed.

_Finally_ she was home.


	25. Avarice

**Aloha my wonderful readers!**

**HAHA, Tessa has to go shopping. Let's guess how much she'll enjoy THAT. *note the sarcasm hahaha***

**So Tessa and the unlucky Ironhide (who is going to be her lift) don't quite make it to the mall in this chapter; it's more of a fill in of their friendship and the silly banter they have between them.**

**I like to think that Ironhide looks at Tessa as his "second charge" because she's unofficially the romantic interest of his commander; whom he has protected his whole life, so the little mechanic is sort of an extension of Prime in 'Hide's eyes.**

**Let's not forget that despite his humour and free-will, he is still a soldier who follows orders :)**

**As always, I hope you guys enjoy it.**

**I'm sure I don't need to tell you guys about reviews; because you already know how much of a Review-Whore I am, which is…totally sad to admit hahaha.**

**ANYWAY ENOUGH RAMBLING FROM ME! Enjoy the chapter!**

Much to her personal chagrin, Tessa had slept through the entire afternoon, the following night; and then well into mid-morning. When she'd finally woken up, after receiving a doting and totally _lecturing_ phone call from her very worried mother, her first agenda had been a massively unhealthy breakfast of Skittles before taking some time to tinker with the car in her garage. After which she would shower, watch some TV, make herself some lunch before doing some more tinkering until bedtime.

This routine continued for several days, during which she always called up N.E.S.T to see how they were and if she was allowed to come back to work; to which the answer was always 'no, you still need to rest'. It was the first job she'd had that she actually preferred being at _work_ than being at home. In comparison to operating on giant robots that provided wonderful conversation and banter, the rusty blue Valiant in her garage was scrap. She hadn't even got it running yet…

After about her third day of "home imprisonment" she decided that she couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get out of the house and just _go_ somewhere; _anywhere_. Considering she had no more food in the kitchen and she had some spare cash since starting at N.E.S.T, she decided that a trip to the mall would serve her well. Problem was, she had no ride; and she sure as _hell_ wasn't going to carry everything home on the bus. A grin split her features as an idea came to mind.

Wiping her stained hands on the rag from her back pocket, she picked up her cell phone; checking the time before she dialled.

10:36 am.

_Yeah, that's early enough for me to get everything done_, she thought. Then she punched in Lennox's number and held it to her ear as it rang. After a few seconds, a voice came through the speaker.

"_Lennox speaking._"

She grinned over the phone; leaning against the workbench in her garage, "Hey Lennox; it's Tessa. Listen I-"  
>"<em>-Tess I swear if you ask me to come back to work <em>_one more time__ I'm going to-_"

"-No, no; I just needed a favour!" she quickly reassured him with a cheeky smile, trying to hold back a laugh at how much she had probably annoyed him the last few days with her pestering. "I want to get some shopping done today, and the car I'm fixing up isn't ready to go yet. Could you ask one of the Autobots if they can give me a lift?"

"_Do you want me to ask Optimus?_" he asked cheekily, knowing that the question was probably making her go red on the other end of the line.  
>Of course, he was right to assume so; because she was currently flushed in the face. However she was glad that nobody was around to see it, despite that Lennox already <em>knew<em> that she would have been blushing. To cover up her embarrassment, she scoffed at him; trying to make a joke out of the situation.

"As awesome as it would be to see people's reactions; I don't think that his big butt will fit into a parking space. It's not…exactly normal to go shopping with a ginormous, custom painted road train; if you get my drift."

Lennox laughed over the line with a heavy, sincere chuckle.

"_You might hurt his feelings with comments like that._" He teased her. Tessa was astonished by just how _close_ he was to being as annoying as her brothers; and the thought made her grin.

"No I won't. He's a fatty and he knows it." She laughed, the fondness in her tone being completely unmistakable. The memory of a certain "Jenny Craig" joke at his expense swam through her head; making her laugh all the more, "Anyway, could you please ask one of them? I want to leave as soon as I can to just get this over and done with."

"_Yeah, sure thing; someone will be there in about half an hour._"

"Thanks Will," she smiled, "I appreciate it."

"_No problem._"

With that, she hung up the phone and put it on the counter before she kicked off her dirty boots at the garage door, stripped off the outer jumpsuit and went into the house. Her under-clothing consisted of a pair of plain, black leggings and a navy blue singlet; her hair had been piled out if the way in its usual bun.

Deciding that she needed to change before she left, she headed into her bedroom and began to carelessly throw clothes around until she found something suitable. Eventually she decided on a pair of dark wash, bootleg denims, her scuffed Converse sneakers and a plain black t-shirt with newspaper print embellishments on the front in silver text. She pulled her tangled mass of auburn waves, quickly ran a brush through it and pulled it up into a high ponytail.

It still looked freakishly long…

_Maybe I should just cut it off_, she thought to herself bitterly, _I don't even __do__ anything with it_!

A huff escaped her, causing a few of the strands in her fringe to lift from the exhale of air, making her cross her eyes to focus on the offending hairs. She probably looked a bit silly, standing cross-eyed in her bedroom just _glaring_ at her hair; but she really didn't care. She'd done weirder things.

Such as develop feelings for the leader of a race of shape-shifting alien robots in the middle of a top secret war.

Yep; _definitely_ weirder than a Mexican Standoff with her fringe.

As she went into the kitchen, dropping her duffel bag on the counter to free her hands; she reached into her pantry and pulled out a packet of Skittles before reaching into her fridge to retrieve her guava juice. Perfectly content, she sipped and chomped the time away.

It wasn't long until she heard a rumbling engine pull up in her driveway.

She put the juice away, stuffed the Skittles into her pocket and grabbed her duffel bag. Picking her keys up off the hook that held them, she double checked all her doors before heading out the door and locking it behind her; afterwards she turned to see a massive Topkick sitting in her driveway.

"Oh of course…" she mumbled under her breath in amusement, "instead of sending the biggest truck who would be too big for a parking spot; they send the _second_ biggest truck who's probably _also_ too big."

She rolled her eyes and tromped down her front porch steps with a big grin on her face.  
>"So…" she started, her expression turning downright s<em>cary<em>, "looks like _you're_ going to be my victim today, big boy."

A scoff came from the grill of the GMC truck, "Why do I get the feeling I will regret signing up for this?"

In response, Tessa rubbed her hands together and attempted an evil cackle, which given the fact that she had an already natural rasp to her voice; she did quite well, "Because you probably _will_! Hehehe!"

He scoffed at her again, "You don't frighten me, Squishy. Get in before I change my mind and go find more intelligent company." His jibe made Tessa laugh and kick the tyre of the truck.

"Smart ass robot. I _am_ intelligent company; you're just like a cranky old man."

She could hear a smirk in his voice as the truck's engine revved cheekily before he rolled forward a little in jest, "You have _no_ idea." He rumbled amusedly because, by all technicalities; he _was_ incredibly old by way of Earth years. The brunette shrugged playfully before chuckling to herself.

"Okay, let's get this show on the road." She exclaimed, reaching for the handle to the door; however a sharp, almost barked yell caused her to jump and halt the action.

"Now hold up a minute there, Squishy; what makes you think _you're_ driving?" he chortled from the grill of the truck.

"Wh-what do you mean? Why _wouldn't_ I be driving, Ironhide?"

She heard the passenger side door handle click and it swung open waiting for her; Ironhide's driver side window rolled down and his voice resounded from the inside of the car through the stereo. "Optimus may be lenient towards you being in the driver's seat, but let's not forget you're only human; you have to _earn_ the right to drive with me," he said smugly, a teasing and gruff tone evident in his voice.

Tessa groaned half-heartedly before puffing out her cheeks and exhaling out of the side of her mouth and lifting the side of her bangs. She patted the driver's side door of the truck and sighed. "You're an ass, you know that right?" she smirked as she moved around to the other side and climbed into the passenger seat. As she expected, the radio was quick to retort.

"One of my more charming traits, don't you think?" came the response; a snarky, jesting tone in his voice.

Tessa gave a laugh and leaned her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes with a sigh; feeling the seatbelt strap over her chest as the truck backed out. She gently tapped the black leather interior with her palm and gave a relieved laugh. "I missed this," she murmured, "things have been too…serious lately; y'know?"

Ironhide chuckled, "Well, now that Megatron has scurried into a hole with his aft between his legs; there's no longer a Decepticon threat." The massive truck's voice paused for a second before he corrected himself, "…not that they were all _that_ threatening in the first place."

"Oh, of course not." She scoffed, pretending to be horrified by the idea of the Decepticons being any sort of match.

"So…where exactly are we supposed to be going, Squishy?"

Tessa nearly doubled over with laughter. She'd been so happy to see the Topkick that she'd sort of forgotten about her 'mission' for the day. She giggled and patted the dashboard jokingly, "We're going to the mall. I need to get some groceries and maybe get a new pair of boots for work."

She reclined comfortably in the passenger seat as she turned and watched the driver's side; the wheel to the massive truck moving slightly to keep the vehicle steady. A sudden thought crossed her mind and she placed her finger thoughtfully on her chin; her expression turning quizzical for a moment. "Hey, Ironhide?" she asked quietly, "I was wondering, are you able to…make a Holoform? I've seen Optimus use his a few times, but the closest thing I've seen done by anyone else is that hologram image that Arcee uses."

"Oh…he's _used_ his Holoform around you, has he?" Ironhide asked cheekily. To his amusement, her face flushed and her eyes widened.

"Wh-what? No! Not like _that_! Get your mind out of the gutter; Optimus and I are…just taking it a day at a time." She exclaimed, clasping her fingers over her cheeks and gripping her face in both frustration and embarrassment. The radio roared with amused laughter at her expense; teasing Tessa had become something of a sport for some of the Autobots and soldiers at N.E.S.T in the last few months.

"But, there _is_ something there?" he pressed. The brunette in the seat cursed the day her rosy cheeks were born; giving a heavy, embarrassed sigh.

"Well…I think so. It's hard to explain; it's like we just _gravitate_ towards each other. Things just feels…safer when he's nearby."

To her surprise, a curious 'hmm' came from the radio, and she didn't like the teasing tone that was in his voice; like he knew something that she didn't. "So you two have openly confessed feeling towards each other then?" he asked cheekily.

"W-Well…I _guess_ you could say that-"

"Who said it first?" Tessa was taken aback by the suddenly (_and rather excited_) exclamation coming from the surround sound system.

Her words stuttered from her surprise, "I-I don't understand what you mean by that?" she said, cocking her head to the side as she focused on her own reflection in the rear-view mirror; knowing that he could see her this way.

The Topkick's voice gave what sounded like the clearing of his throat before speaking again; the teasing tone s_till_ residing in the back of his voice. "Who was it that first acknowledged the attraction," he said in an almost mockingly slow manner, as if he were trying to make it simple for her little human brain, "you, or Optimus?"

She had to stop and think for a minute, trying to recall the exact conversation and the exact way it had unfolded; then Optimus' voice rang through her memory as it hit her.

"_I would be lying if I claimed I wasn't attracted to you."_

Her skin flushed at the thought of the words. "Well…in a way, I suppose it was Optimus."

"HA!" he barked loudly, causing Tessa to jump in her seat; startled at the unfamiliar noise, "I _knew_ it! Oh that little glitch is in for the worst week of his life."

"G-glitch? Who; Optimus? What are you talking about-?"

"-No, not Prime; that slagging Corvette back at base. He and I had…a little wager."

"About what?" she asked, suddenly suspicious, "What…did you bet?"

"Oh, nothing for you to concern your fleshy little head over. Just be prepared for Sideswipe to be very cranky for a week after this; because he just lost."

Tessa could hear the smug, completely victorious tone in his voice and she had to say; it was sort of amusing. She didn't know the exact terms of their little bet were, but she had the _darnedest_ inkling that it had to do with her and Optimus; as if she couldn't tell. Still, she was interested to see what sort of stakes the two would have put up against one another, because she wasn't exactly sure what Autobots would bet _with_. Certainly not money; they didn't use it. Obviously that meant they bet in punishments (_knowing Ironhide_) or some form of public humiliation (_knowing Sideswipe_) and either way; it was bound to be interesting at least…

"You know, you never actually answered my initial question." She retorted smartly, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrow at him as if to say 'well?' to him, "Are you able to make a Holoform the way Optimus does?"

"I can. All of us have the potential to be c_apable_ of it, but personally I prefer not to. Humans are fleshy meat bags that will squish when stepped on, and they do that _bleeding_ thing; not to mention the way that they expel stomach content when they're ill-"

"-Okay, enough! Ew, I get it; humans are gross. You're not telling _me_ something I don't know."

The black mech laughed through the speakers at her as they turned off onto the highway, "But in answer to you comment, yes I do have a Holoform; but I will only use it when it's necessary. I much prefer existing in your world as myself. Optimus on the other hand; will experience it in any way that helps him better understand you."

It was her turn to laugh now, turning the conversation onto a light-hearted note. "Are you jealous, Ironhide? Because I've got a gorgeous little blue Valiant sitting in my garage at home; once I've fixed her up you can take _her_ on a date."

"Oh, the lady is a _temptress_!" he hollered with mirth, delighted by her silly humour. As the gears of the truck shifted, and the steering wheel steadied itself; he saw fit to retort, "Better not be a Decepticon."

Tessa's only response to the grumpy, sour-humoured old mech was to double over clutching her stomach; laughing with delight at the day she was about to have out with her friend.


	26. Between Angels And Insects

**What's crackin' lil bitches?**

**XD Sorry guys, but I just had to use Jazz's line hahaha.**

**Anywho BEHOLD: Ironhide and Tessa's shopping adventures! Just a bit of fun and bonding between these two :) **

**I will confess, that there is a "stereotypical" and possibly **_**slightly**_** *cough*MarySue*cough* scene towards the end, but I actually wanted it in there; because I thought it would be interesting to see Tessa react in a situation like this one.**

**So please guys, no flames; the scene pretty much wrote itself.**

**Anywho, enjoy!**

**P.S. There are a few errors in here that I will probably have to fix up later, but I will hopefully do so soon! Much loooove!**

It hadn't taken long for them to get to the mall that Tessa usually went to.

Despite Ironhide's unusually massive frame, they'd been able to find a parking spot beneath the shade of some trees. _Sure_ Ironhide had been forced to half park on the adjacent curb, and had a stand-off with another driver who also wanted the spot; but eventually they'd parked and Tessa had climbed down from the massive truck.

"You didn't _have_ to intimidate the driver like that you know!" she scolded him, poking the side of the bonnet like a mother pointing at a disobedient child.

"Why not?" came Ironhide's voice from the grill, "It was _fun_!"

She scoffed and shook her head, "Trying to run them over was _not_ the way to go about it, you cranky old fart! The poor guy thought you were going to kill him!" To her surprise, the grill rumbled deeply and she realized that he was laughing at the remark.

"Who's to say I wasn't?" he retorted. Tessa responded by kicking the tyre with her sneaker; noticing that she felt it more without her steel-capped boots to protect her toes.

"I _know_ you weren't, because if you were I'd take you apart and turn you into a women's edition sports car." She threatened, thumping her fist playfully on the hood.

"You wouldn't…?" he said, sounding like he was apprehensive about his own statement; it came out more like a question. Tessa took full advantage of this and shot him a sinister looking grin, not knowing whether he could see it or not.

"Just try me."

A round of sarcastic, amiable laughter rippled between them before Tessa looked over to the shopping centre, an apprehensive look on her face before she turned to look at the Topkick, "Are you going to use that Holoform of yours and come with me?"

He scoffed a little, "I was just going to wait here. Why? Do you _need_ me to go with you?"

"Well…" she said cheekily, "I'm going to need _someone_ to carry my bags." She laughed to herself a little before resting a hand gently on the side of the towering vehicle, "I'm only joking Ironhide, but seriously; you'll probably get bored waiting out here so long, I'm more than likely going to be a while. Will you please go with me?"

There was a moment of contemplative silence before the heard a heavy sigh.

"Alright fine; but you will not tell anyone about this. If anybody asks, I waited in the parking lot. Holoforms are so…artificial to me; I can't use my cannons."

This made Tessa snort in amusement, "You can't use them in public _anyway_!" she laughed, "But I promise. Not a word."

Running her finger and thumb over her lips like a zipper, she patted him on the side and stepped back; secretly a little excited to be able to see a Holoform from Ironhide. She heard an electrical buzzing from inside the truck, seeing a faint blue light through the heavily tinted windows before it finally stopped; and she waited with bated breath. Finally, the driver side door swung open and a figure jumped down. Tess nearly had a heart attack.

Ironhide's form stood around 5'9 and was incredibly sturdy. The amount of muscle and girth that he possessed gave Tessa the impression that if she hadn't already known him; she would have avoided him in the street.

He simply oozed dangerous.

She had to smile and shake her head to herself, thinking just how well the form suited him. Short, spiky black hair was atop his head, his face was clean-shaven and there was a large, marring discolouration over his right eye; a scar of some sort.

_I wonder if it's a representation of an injury…_ she wondered thoughtfully, continuing to take in her friend's appearance.

He wore a heavy, black drill-fabric jacket over his broad torso and a metallic, gunmetal grey muscle shit was underneath it. A set of militia style dog-tags bearing the symbol of the Autobots hung around his neck as a representation of the soldier that he still was, and a pair of dark blue denim jeans hung baggily from his legs; small frayed tears were noticeable, as was the severe fraying on the hem at the bottom. A pair of heavy, black steel-caps made solid thumps in his steps as he approached her with his arms out in a 'well?' gesture. He looked cool, powerful, and the intensely vibrant blue of his eyes made him look _dangerous_; it was the most perfect encapsulation of Ironhide she could have ever seen.

"I think you're going to be beating women off with a stick today, Ironhide." She smirked, unable to hide her amusement. Ironhide's Holoform gave her a sarcastic sneer.

"I can't say I'd pass up the opportunity to show some fleshlings who's boss." He replied, making Tessa choke back a laugh.

"God, you're such a violent old bastard." She scoffed before gesturing to the complex with her thumb, "Anyway, let's get going."

With a sharp, cocky nod, the massive tank of a man turned and followed her through the parking complex.

-0-0-0-0-0-

As Tessa had predicted, poor Ironhide easily caught the attention of most of the women they passed; however the weapons specialist clearly didn't pay any heed. She _did _notice, however, that whenever they walked by a particularly rough or shady looking male, he would use himself as a barrier between them and Tessa. At first she hadn't realized, but after it happened a few times she had to question him on it.

"Why do you keep doing that?" she asked, stopping outside a pet store to look at the puppies through the glass. Ironhide gave them a brief, almost impassive glance; before he replied to her.

"Prime wouldn't want you in any danger. Statistics prove that human females are prone to being attacked or harassed by males who seem to bear the I.Q of an inbred fish; if they wish to get to you, they must first go through me." He said matter-of-factly.

Tessa snorted, "Ever the soldier huh?" she couldn't help but smile fondly though, a grin crossing her features, "I appreciate the gesture, Ironhide; thank you. But seriously, you can relax. You're in close enough proximity to me that people would probably piss themselves before they took me on; especially with guns like _these_!"

She flexed her arms with a cheeky grin, pretending that she was buff.

He scoffed at her before nudging her with his elbow, almost knocking her over. She looked up at him with a 'bitch, you didn't!' expression written across her features; which only cause him to laugh at her more.

By way of punishment, she dragged him to every store she could to try and annoy him; including making him push her trolley full of groceries and subjecting him to the typical "does this dress make me look fat" shopping trip.

Unfortunately for her, he'd one-upped her by saying yes.

They'd gone to the food court so that Tessa could eat some lunch; and after questioning Ironhide as to why he wasn't eating, she'd been informed that Holoforms could only ingest things that could be used as fuel, such as water and alcoholic concentrates. She'd also laughed her head off at the girl behind the counter of Burger King who had tried shamelessly to flirt with the burly mech by batting her eyelashes; to which he had asked her if she "had an error in her optics". By _God_ she wished she'd been able to video tape the girl's expression.

By around 2:30 she'd had just about enough of the mall; and it was fairly safe to say that Ironhide had as well. She'd picked up her boots, done all of her grocery shopping and picked up a few gifts for people back at N.E.S.T; there was just one last stop she wanted to make.

"Hey Ironhide," she said as she turned to him, "I have one more place to go; can I get you to take this stuff to the parking lot? I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Oh _finally_!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air aggressively, "I finally understand why human males hate the word "shopping" now. You've dragged me back and forth all fragging day!"

She laughed at his typical male reaction; although she couldn't really talk. Even as a teenager, the only stores she'd enjoyed shopping in were music stores and auto garages; even the occasional Swap-Meet. She patted Ironhide firmly on the arm, marvelling at how much he still felt like he was made of metal. "Yeah, yeah; you'll get over it big boy. I'll see you in a minute, okay?"

He nodded and looked around briefly before addressing her once more, "Be careful." He said before turning and walking away with her groceries.

Tess couldn't help but giggle at the sight of the massive mech pushing the wobbly framed trolley full of paper bags; somehow he still managed to make the emasculating action look manly. Turning on her heel she headed for the one place she enjoyed going at the mall.

A small military surplus store that was located on the outside of the mall.

This was where she planned to buy a gift for Ironhide, just like she had for the others; she'd just needed him out of the way so that she could buy it.

A small bell tinkled as she entered the store, and she spotted the elderly man who ran it. He smiled fondly as she entered and bid her a simple, professional greeting; he'd seen her here many times before. She took some time to look at some of the things she could try and buy for the cantankerous black Autobot who had quite honestly become one of her best friends. There were torches, Swiss army knives, compasses, guns; everything someone military might need. She'd always looked at them as pretty trinkets, but now that she was _surrounded_ by military influence, it meant so much more to her.

Then she saw the _perfect_ gift.

A very large hunting knife, more of a machete than anything else, sat on one of the racks behind the counter; it was about the length of her arm with a thick, broad blade that was about the length of her entire forearm. It was clearly a heavy duty weapon.

She asked to see the weapon, to which the old man retrieved it and placed it on the counter between them, pointing out to her what it was designed for and what advantages it had. However the sale was interrupted by a voice from behind her; one that she didn't recognise.

"That's a mighty _big_ knife there. Sure a pretty thing like you can _handle_ it?"

She turned around curiously to see a young man about the same age as her, if not a year or so younger, standing a little distance away with his arms crossed and a cocky smirk on his face. She immediately felt the back of her neck prickle in distrust, but kept her tone friendly as she addressed him.

"Actually, it's not for me," she said with a politely fake smile, "it's for a friend of mine. He's a real _weapon nut_." She tried to emphasise Ironhide's love of the destructive in an attempt to ward off this obviously 'ulteriorly-motivated' man.

No dice.

"Oh, _he_ is huh? Must be some lucky _friend_ you've got there."

That familiar sense of discomfort rippled over her skin and down her shoulders, but she tried to ignore it. "Yeah well, …" she trailed off as she turned to the old man and gave him a genuinely warm smile as she tried to brush the other man off, "I'll take this one. How much."

"$267." He replied, looking at the weapon before making eye contact with her, "I know it seems pricey-but it's a handmade weapon designed specifically for heavy duty-"

"-No, no I'll take it; it's perfect." She handed him enough cash to cover it and he went to go wrap the machete and get some change for her. Unfortunately this left her alone with the stranger.

"So, you got a name?" he asked confidently.

Tessa turned a little, her expression one of disinterest as she observed him. He had sandy blond hair that hung in a surfy, dishevelled mop over green eyes and a smirk that just oozed an 'I'm superior to all living creatures' attitude. "Yes." She replied vaguely, turning back to the counter with her back to him.

She heard him laugh smoothly as she did so. "Hey now, that's a bit rude don't you think? I was just trying to be friendly-"

He moved to place a hand on her shoulder and she shrunk away from his reach, turning to face him with an apprehensive expression. _Note to self_, she thought; _don't turn away from him again_…

"I don't mean to be rude," she said in a forced civil manner, "but please don't touch me."

Before the sandy haired man could reply to her, the storeman reappeared with the wrapped weapon and her change. He paused to take in the scene, and shot the young man a stern, authoritive look. In response, the blond looked over and Tessa and shook his head with an angry exhale.

"Whatever." He barked as he turned tail and left the store.

Sighing in relief, she took the bag with the weapon in it and tucked her change into her pocket before thanking the man. Then she tucked it securely over her wrist and headed out of the store; crossing the car park towards where Ironhide had parked. She felt infinitely safer as she got closer to the Topkick, but to her surprise, the voice of the guy from the store made itself known.

"Need a hand?" he asked her, crossing one of the empty car spaces to approach her.

_God what is __with__ this guy_? She thought irritably, _is he whacked out on stupid pills_?

"No. Thank you." She said firmly, trying to ignore him. She was within hearing distance to Ironhide now; he would hear her if she shouted, but she didn't want to seem as if she were overreacting. Aside from being a bit annoying, the guy hadn't actually harmed her; however she felt unsafe…something was off about him. She turned and started to walk away.

"Whoa, wait up." He said confidently as he reached out for the wrist on her free hand. She sporadically twitched and turned to face him with an annoyed expression.

"Don't." she snapped, "I told you to leave me alone."

He took a step toward her, eyeing her off in a manner that she _did not_ like. "Actually, you didn't. What's your problem babe? I just want to know your name." She took a step back from him and realized that she had bumped into the bonnet of a parked car. Her expression went from annoyed to worried as she looked around nervously.

Ironhide would only be able to hear her from here if she _yelled_ for him.

The cocky bastard in front of her reached for her arm again, and this time her nerves got the better of her. She was frightened and intimidated; backed into a metaphorical corner so to speak and so she did the only thing her mind told her to do.

She reeled back her right hand and punched him.

"I said don't _touch _me!" she screeched, her voice cracking from her frazzled nerves.

He didn't fall down from the blow; she wasn't strong enough to floor someone. However it did cause him to back up a step. Throwing her previous concerns about overreacting out the window, she called to the Topkick.

"_Ironhide I need you_!" she screamed in distress, trying to sidestep around her assailant; however he'd recovered and now had an angry look on his face as he cupped a bloody nose.

"You _bitch_!" he snapped angrily at her; reaching out to grab a fistful of her ponytail.

She heard the violent roar of a familiar engine approach, driving quickly enough and closely enough to make the jerk release her and stare in shock at the truck that threatened him. For half a second she thought he was going to run the man over, but the Topkick screeched to an angry halt and the driver's door swung open violently.

Ironhide's Holoform stormed furiously out of the vehicle; his eyes bearing such rage and intensity that it _frightened_ her. She had never seen this side of him…

The _soldier_ side.

He grabbed the young man violently by the front of his shirt with one massive fist and pulled him up to face him. "Touch her again _fleshling_, and I will show you just how _easy_ you will be to _break_. Punk ass little _shit_." He spat venomously. Without waiting for the boy to respond, Ironhide threw him back across the ground carelessly, not caring about the pained exclamation that came from him. He made his way to Tessa, quickly checking over her for any sign of injury.

"Are you damaged?" he asked sternly.

Tessa shook her head, her hands still shaking a little from the shock. She didn't fail to noticed how he used the term "damaged" instead of injured; just another demonstration of the difference in their races. "N-No. I'm fine. I…punched him for trying to grab me."

A relieved sigh escaped him and he pointed to the truck. "Get in. We're taking you home."

She nodded and shot one last look at where her assailant should have been, but it turned out he'd already turned tail and run; so instead she made her way around to the passenger side of the truck. After she'd climbed up into the truck and buckled herself in she let out a heavy sigh, placing the brown paper bag on the floor at her feet.

Ironhide's Holoform climbed in and gave her a cocky smirk before he reached over and placed his huge palm gruffly on her head, ruffling her hair. Then he released her and the Holoform dissipated in a collection of electrical sparks. As the truck drove away from the shopping centre, she gave a heavy sigh and leaned back into the seat; suddenly exhausted.

"You alright, Squishy?" came a gruff voice from the speakers.

Trying to erase the afternoon's rather annoying finish, she gave a smile and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine 'Hide. Everything's fine now."

There was a long moment of silence where neither of them spoke before Ironhide's voice crackled through on audio, "So what's in the bag?"

Suddenly remembering her secret little shopping venture, she grinned in the rear-view mirror and wiggled her finger in a 'nu-uh' gesture. "It's a surprise," she said cheekily, "you'll find out eventually."

He scoffed, but didn't press the issue; he knew she was just as stubborn as he was.

"I'm impressed you tried to defend yourself out there," he said suddenly; however his tone then turned to one of a scolding brother, "but next time just call straight for me. I am better equipped to handle situations like that."

"I noticed," Tessa replied thoughtfully, "you were…kind of scary out there…" she trailed off slowly at her own words; not wanting to offend him with her blatancy. However after a moment's pause, her fears were put to rest with the playful tone in his voice.

"Thank you, I hope _he_ thought so too."

She snorted at this, "Smart ass." She laughed happily, glad to feel her discomfort from earlier slipping away, "…Thank you for coming with me today. Despite the day's kind of unfortunate finish; I had a lot of fun."

There was a brief pause before, "So did I." she smiled at his response before he quickly added, "But if you tell anyone on base about me carrying your shopping; you're dead."

She burst out laughing before patting the dashboard firmly, "Aw…I love you too, old man." A grin formed on the corners of her mouth as she thought of something, turning her gaze to the rear-view mirror so that he could see her clearly, "When you get back to base, tell Lennox that I'm going to be at work tomorrow; whether he says I'm allowed or not."

"Did you ask someone to confirm this for you?" he teased her snidely. Tessa's response was to scoff and playfully punch the seat.

"Now you know better than anybody 'Hide," she paused; unable to hide her massive grin, "where's the fun in asking for permission?"


	27. Follow Me

**Wooooo! Presents for N.E.S.T tiiiiiiiime.**

**I apologize if I left any Autobots out; I tried to make certain that I included everybody! Also, apologies for the slightly cliché ending to the last chapter; but I wanted to have a situation that Optimus is unfamiliar with, and thus has a reaction to.**

**Besides, EVERY story is going to have a few cliché scenes, because these days EVERYTHING is considered Mary-Sue or cliché.**

**You all know what I mean right?**

**Aahhh anywho; I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. LOVE YOU ALL STACKS!**

***throws massive pile of Energon cookies to the seething mass of fangirls***

**As usual, I appreciate feedback (detailed ones are the BEST guys) and I APOLOGISE for any grammar errors :D**

Tessa had arrived at Diego Garcia in an _incredibly_ wonderful mood.

She was well rested, her friends were all safe, Optimus had come back from the _dead_, the Decepticons had turned tail and run; she had a pocket _full_ of Skittles and a bag stuffed with presents..

Life was _damned_ good right about now…

She'd been picked up by one of the soldiers from N.E.S.T whom she had met once before; the woman who'd taken her out for cheeseburgers the night Lennox's team had gone to Shanghai. The soldier, Talua, was a tall, sturdy Maori woman from New Zealand; with long dark hair, native tattoos and a broad figure. She was witty, sarcastic and an insanely aggressive driver.

Tessa thought she was _brilliant_.

After a side-splitting ride to the base, Talua had dropped the mechanic out the front of the Autobots' hangar where she knew they would be. Then after a friendly goodbye, they had parted ways.

_Yeah_, she thought, _I am __definitely__ getting a lift with her more often_!

The numerous black plastic bags that hung from her arms contained the results of her shopping the previous day with Ironhide, and she had to admit that she was _excited_ to give the bots their gifts. She entered the hangar with a massive smile on her face; only to be greeted by Skids going flying past her face.

"Holy shit!" she screamed, watching the green bot crash land on the floor before Mudflap came leaping at him.

"Wha' wussat for?" Skids complained loudly, dodging his twin.

"I told yo I was like a ninja!" came the retort.

Skids gave a silly, contagious laugh as he smacked Mudflap upside the head, "You ain't no ninja! You's just-" he stopped talking suddenly, and Tessa realized that it was because she had been spotted, "-Hey! Grease monkey's back!"

She laughed and tried to put her arms up in front of her as a defence, the plastic bags weighing down the appendages somewhat. "No, no, no!" she exclaimed.

However it was far too late for her warnings to do anything to protect her; he twins had gone to either side of her and boxed the little mechanic in between them as they hugged her. She was laughing so hard that it was difficult to breathe, especially with two alien robots holding her so tightly.  
>"I missed you to, but guys! I need to breathe!" she laughed over the top of them saying silly things to her and arguing with one another. It felt like it had been weeks since she'd really got to sit down and spend time with them.<p>

"Alright, enough; let her down." Ratchet's voice was heard rumbling over the top of their chatter; and the twins seemed disappointed by the interruption.

"But we was havin' fun!"

"-Yeah! We ain't seen her yet!"

Ratchet placed a hand irritably over her face; pinching the bridge of his nose, and Tessa had to smile at the 'oh-so-human' gesture.

"Neither has anyone else. Shouldn't you two be training?" he barked. Oh how she had _missed_ the stern, lecturing medic. After being released to the ground, she grinned up at Ratchet.

"Hey Doc!" she exclaimed brightly before she waltzed up to him and hugged him around the leg, "Good to see you."

She had to laugh when he gave her a confused look. "What in the name of Primus are you doing?" he said quizzically; she really did do the most _bizarre_ things.

"Hugging you, silly; I haven't seen you guys for days!" she beamed. She heard Sideswipe laughing at her antics from a few feet away, causing her attention to turn to him. Untangling herself from Ratchet's foot, she made her way over to Sideswipe and swung the massive black plastic bag at him playfully. "Good to see you again." She beamed.

He laughed and knelt down to face the little female eye-to-optic.

"You too, Tessa. It wasn't the same without you here on base; Optimus is turning into a right pain without you." He laughed, cheekily catching gazes with the leader; who rubbed his temple with his massive hand.

Tessa broke out laughing in response.

After taking some time to talk to each of her Autobot friends, she finally managed to make her way to the massive metal walkway where Lennox and Epps stood; their smiles teasing. She hauled the bags up the ladder and made her way loudly over to where they stood, Optimus had approached the railing with an amused expression.

"Hey guys." She grinned broadly as she reached the two soldiers, then she turned to look at Optimus with the same grin, "I," she said teasingly as she dragged out the 'i' sound, "have presents for everyone."

The Prime gave a semblance of a chuckle at her playful tone; he couldn't help but notice how _radiant_ she looked, she seemed so happy and rested.

She put the bags down on the walkway and leaned against the railing, gesturing to the massive robot with one finger and a happy smile. "Come here, Chief."

With a slight chuckle, he took a step closer and raised both of his hands to the metal railing, placing one either side of her; boxing her in as he leaned his face in close.

She blushed violently at the proximity; they were barely centimetres apart.

"You seem to be in a very good mood this morning." He murmured playfully (_and in Tessa's opinion __seductively_) as his optics intensely focused on her. To his surprise, she flashed her eyes up to meet his with an almost _wicked_ smile on her face; her blush was still prominent but she was clearly not bothered by it.

In a lightning's flash of a movement, she stood on her tippy toes and planted a quick, cheeky kiss right where the top of his metal lip sat. She flushed scarlet, but she grinned up at him; obviously trying to ignore it.

"That's because I _am_." She retorted before playfully patting the stunned Autobot's cheek, "Now go and get those robots of yours; I _told you_ I have presents." She clapped her hands excitedly and called out as loudly as she could, "Come on guys! Presents!"

Optimus couldn't help but be amused by her seemingly giddy antics; but he had to admit he was curious to see what it was she could possibly have purchased for each of them. After all, what sort of material things would a bunch of _robots_ need? Once he had called an address and the group was congregated, Tessa smiled happily and dug her hand into one of the bags, checking what it was before she pulled it out of the bag.

"Okay let's see…First up is Arcee! Ladies first after all," she smiled, pulling out the gift and revealing a pretty bouquet of artificial, fabric flowers. She tossed them to the pink femme for her to catch. "On Earth it's an ideal that every lady deserves to come home to pretty flowers; these are fake Arcee, and they'll last forever."

The small pink bot looked at the bunch and turned up to Tessa with her optics glowing. "Thank you. They're so beautiful." She said warmly, holding the bouquet tenderly as Tessa continued to rummage through the bags.

"Next up is…Ah-ha! Lennox!" she turned to the soldier beside her with a big grin, holding a massive Twister board game, "This is for you to play with Annabelle when she gets older. My dad used to have competitions for my brothers and I when we were kids. I thought you guys might enjoy it when she's old enough to play."

He gave an amused laugh and took the box gently, "Thanks Tess, that's really sweet."

However the mechanic was already stuffing her head into her bag of tricks to pull out the next gift. There were so _many_ of them!

For Ratchet, she'd gone to a second-hand 'trash-and-treasure' books store and found a medical diary; obviously the personal work of a former medical student. It was _filled_ with personal notes and medical cases that were obviously taken down and studied by the student it had belonged to; something the medical officer would never have been able to find on the internet.

Her thought had been that he might like to further his knowledge of human medical procedures; considering it seemed to fascinate him so much.

The gift she'd brought for Skids and Mudflap was a set of giant, heavy-duty inflatable rugby dummies; designed for tackling and throwing. She'd figured that after using the pressurized air pump to fill them up; they'd have hours of fun with them.

Jolt's present was a little more complicated; Tessa had purchased parts to make him a 'water gun' weapon accessory. When he had questioned her about 'why on Cybertron' she had thought of a water gun for him; she'd explained that it was to be used as a weapon against future Decepticon battles.

Water absorbed electricity; so if he was able to get the enemy with water before electrocuting them, the damage would double at _least_.

Once the purpose had been explained, Jolt was both impressed and touched by the gesture.

Epps received a pack deal on paintballing; something that a free-standing stall had been selling in the mall as a promotional item. The deal was good for four players and she'd figured that he could have a lot of fun shooting guns that weren't designed to harm for a change. The grin he'd had on his face had confirmed that.

Her gift for Graham was more difficult.

While she spoke to him often, she didn't know him as well as she did with Epps and Lennox; so she had opted to give him a booklet of free movie passes; which he could use at his own leisure. However since he was not among the congregation today, she opted to simply put them in his locket later; considering they'd come in a stylish envelope with a gift wrapped ribbon around.

Sideswipe had near busted out of his armour upon seeing his present; a set of decals that Tessa would have to later apply to his Corvette form, as well as a new set of seat covers. The silver bot was notorious for having a _little_ bit of vanity; so she'd decided that a little bit of accessorising would go a long way with him.

When she finally came to Ironhide, she had the _biggest_ grin on her face and he didn't fail to spot it.

"Should I be worried?" he asked smarmily, the humour evident in his voice.

Tessa's grin grew wider.

"Nope. This is what I got for you when I went off by myself at the mall; I saw it and it was just _perfect_." With a giggle, she reached into the biggest of her shopping bags and pulled out the long box containing the mech's gift. He had to admit, he may have been just a _little_ bit curious…

Brandishing the smuggest expression she could, she opened the case and pulled out the massive, heavy duty machete blade. The expression on his face was one like that of a child being given a Gameboy.

"This," she explained, "is some _hardcore_ hunting weaponry. I realized that despite all your freakishly insane number of cannons, you don't have a whole lot of close-range weaponry. After I've had some time to reinforce it and possibly extend it, I'm going to graft this to your arm so that if you get caught up in a battle with a Decepticon; you can _hack_ them into scrap."

The massive soldier roared with gleeful laughter, "Brilliant! I like your taste, Squishy."

Tess laughed at his glee, handing it to him so that he could look at it.

Then she finally turned to Optimus. "You're last Chief, but _certainly_ not least. Let me just start by telling you; you' re a _pain in the ass_ to buy something for!" she pointed a mockingly accusing finger at him as she laughed.

"I am?" he asked her, not quite understanding what the terminology meant. She nodded in response.

"Yeah, you are. It took me _forever_ to try and think of something to get you-"  
>"She's not lying Optimus; <em>all day<em> I got asked 'would he like this' or 'what about something like this' and it drove me _out of my processors_!" Ironhide barked, shooting a half annoyed glance at the girl in question; a spark of humour evident in his teasing.

Tessa stuck her tongue out at him before waving a dismissive hand at him, "Oh stop complaining you crank; you didn't _die_." She scoffed before picking up the last shopping bag and opening it to retrieve what was inside.

"I kept thinking to myself 'what in blue hell would the leader of an alien robot refugee faction like as a gift'? I thought about it for _ages_ and I swear I came up with nothing." She paused and looked down into the bag; whatever it was that was inside it made her smile fondly, "Then I realized something. There are no material things on this planet that would probably mean all that much to you, because they're just trinkets and silly things that aren't practical; none of it was _you_."

Now he _was_ curious.

"I realized that it wasn't material things that you would want; it's not what you're here for. The Autobot's are her to protect…and to _learn_ about us. So…in the end, I didn't buy you anything…." She paused, took a breath and reached into the bag, "I'm giving you this instead."

Clutched in her hands was a large, leather bound book filled thick with pages. Optimus did not know what it was, but the way her fingers traced the leather engraving told him that it was something sentimental.

"I know that you seek to understand humans; I don't blame you. As a leader, you have to know what you're protecting, right?" she laughed, "This…is a family photo album. There's stuff in here from my childhood, stuff back when my parents were together; hell there's even baby photos from before I was born. I thought that maybe having something like this would…give you a better understanding of the way humans function." She shrugged, suddenly feeling a little silly. She'd bought everyone else brand new presents and here she was giving him some dusty of photo album; she didn't want him to feel ripped off, "I…I just thought that-"

To her surprise, he stopped her by gently tapping a finger on the rail in front of her to get her attention. "This is a wonderful gesture; I cannot think of anything that would have meant more." He moved the digit forward and placed it softly on her head, running it from her hair and down her spine in a motion akin to stroking her hair; then he placed his hand palm up in front of her. "Would you care to show it to me?"

She looked over at Lennox, who shrugged with a smirk at her, "Go on, we aren't going anywhere."

She smiled and climbed into Optimus' outstretched hand; the photo album still clenched in her grasp as she held tightly onto his thumb. He turned and walked out of the hangar, taking care to shield her from the sun as she exited. As they walked, she heard him give a heavy sigh; the exhaling hiss of compressed air causing a few strands of her hair to flutter.

"I must confess, I actually wished to speak with you alone." He said quietly, his tone seeming cautious.

"Sure thing; what about, Chief?" she asked with a smile.

"Ironhide informed me that there was…a _complication_ yesterday; regarding a male human."

Her smile faltered a little as she recalled the event. "Oh."

Stepping into the shade of a hangar, he lifted her so that she was eye level with him; his face stern but worried. "I need to know…" she looked up at him with confused, worried eyes, "did he hurt you?"

She shook her head insistently, "What? No, no; Ironhide got to him before he could even scratch me! I-"

Optimus cut her off with another question, the tone in his voice reflecting pure worry; fear, "Tessa did he _touch_ you?" he snapped protectively, watching her face for any sign that she might try to downplay the scenario. However she knew better than to try and hide anything from Optimus; she just couldn't.

"Well…he tried to grab at me-" she heard his optics whir violently as they narrowed in what looked like…_anger_. Anger at whoever her assailant had been, "-but I punched him in the nose. Then Ironhide roughed him up and got rid of him."

She saw him rub the bridge of his nose between the thumb and forefinger of his free hand as he gave a heavy sigh. "It's just a good thing that it was Ironhide…and not myself. I doubt that I could have shown the restraint that he did."

She reached for his thumb imploringly, "Optimus, it's okay. I'm fine, honestly. Ironhide was there; I was never _in_ any real danger-"

"-But he _touched_ you!" he said angrily, but she knew his anger was not directed at her at all, "That human laid a _hand_ on you!"

Her heart swelled at his protectiveness, but she worried for him; he can't have been used to dealing with emotions like these. Sure, he protected his soldiers and comrades just as fiercely in battle, but their situation was different; emotions were stronger between them and he was bound to react differently. She reached up, still holding his thumb with one hand and touched her fingers to the side of his face, making him turn and look at her.

"Chief, listen to me." She said firmly, "I'm _fine_. I'm here now, everything's okay; I wasn't hurt and Ironhide kept me safe" Tess ran her fingers tenderly over his cheek, dragging to the corner of his mouth.

She was so close to him right now.

He closed his optics as she traced his features, running her hand over his metal lips almost temptingly before she rested her forehead against them and closed her eyes. "Everything's okay…." she whispered.

It was then that she felt the metal plating beneath her forehead shift and a slight pressure was applied there. Then she remembered exactly where on his face she had rested.

Optimus had just done the closest thing he could to kissing her on the forehead.

With a secretive smile, she ran a hand gently against him once more before moving back and sitting in his palm; looking up at him with a gentle, contented smile.

"Now, how about I show you some of these photos?" she asked softly, picking up the album from his hand and putting it in her lap."

Lifting her so that he would be able to see better, he smiled back at her; feeling his previous discontented anger seeping away with the radiance of her gesture. He gave her a slow, gentle nod.

"Of course."


	28. Feeling Way Too Damn Good

**In response to one of my anonymous reviewers that I know only as Emerald, I truly appreciate you looking out for my health :) Thank you so much! But I just want you to know that you needn't worry about me balancing "work and play" and getting some down time.**

**I work hard, and when I get free time; Primary Mechanisms **_**is**_** my down time, my recharge. It's no chore to write these chapters for you guys; I **_**love**_** doing it. I'm glad that you're enjoying it :)**

**Anywho on to the Author's Note:**

**OMFG TEH FLUFFIIIIEEEZZ!**

**So basically the majority of this chapter is more from the perspective of Optimus. It gives a little more insight as to what he feels, and the impact that Tessa has on him.**

**It also had a few references to the resistance he has to show against his **_**temptations**_** for her; it y'all get my drift ;P**

**So I hope you guys enjoy just chapter!**

**(Any grammar errors you may come across; blame the Decepticons because it's all **_**their **_**fault!)**

"Hahahaha! Are you serious?"

"…stop laughing." Sideswipe snapped irritably; his pride severely bruised.

"HAHAHA!" Tessa clutched at her stomach as she doubled over in hysterics, "Oh God it hurts to laugh!" she hollered, struggling to breathe, "The speed limit? For a week; _you_? It serves you _right_ for using me as a betting chip!"

Taking a few deep breathes and wiping the tears out of her eyes, she looked away from the slightly miffed Sideswipe and turned to Ironhide with an evil expression.

"Would've serve _you_ right if you'd lost too."

Ironhide, however, took her jibe a lot better than Sideswipe did; considering he'd won the bet and had nothing to be worried about, "Well, the fact is that I _didn't_ lose. So now the speed demon has to slow it down for a week and wear the badge."

They both turned to the silver Autobot, who was in Corvette form with a Volkswagen emblem slapped on his hood where the Corvette symbol had been previously. He didn't need to be in true form for Tess to know that he was in a foul mood. If it had been under any other circumstances, she may have just felt sorry for him; but since he had used her as the part to his bet, she just found the karma hilarious.

"At least now I won't have to worry so much about you getting into an accident that I'll have to fix. Whatever will I do with so much peace and quiet?" she grinned, nudging the Corvette with her hip before leaning casually on the roof. "Don't worry Sideswipe; I hear humble pie is very delicious."

"Humble pie?" Ironhide and Sideswipe both asked at the same time. That was when Tessa realized that they had probably never heard the term before; after all they were robots…they didn't even _eat_ pie! She put a finger on her chin, trying to find a way to word it without it seeming complicated.

"It's a figure of speech we use on Earth, "she started, "when someone is taken down a notch, or has something happen to them that they deserve; we say that they're getting a slice of humble pie. Basically they're getting a taste of their own medicine. Does that…make sense?"

Ironhide shrugged vaguely, "I suppose. It doesn't really matter anyhow; it's not like we'll use it."

Tessa laughed at his nonchalant answer before patting the Sideswipe's roof solidly and standing on her own two feet, "Well gentleman, as hilarious a conversation as this has been; _I_ have some work to do. "

Sideswipe grumbled something incoherent which made her giggle at his misery. She knew it was probably better that he had lost rather than Ironhide; because in all honest Sideswipe was much more gracious and able to laugh at himself than the weapons specialist. She gave him a reassuring pat on his side door before bidding them both another goodbye; she really _did_ have work that she needed to do.

She'd only been back at N.E.S.T for the day, and in that time she had been repairing damage that was left over from the trip to Egypt. She would have done it sooner; but Lennox had kept refusing to let her come back until she had taken those few days to rest.

As much as she appreciated the gesture, it also annoyed her a little. Because it was just another demonstration of how much weaker than the rest of them she was.

Poor little Tessa who had travelled to Egypt and gotten jetlag; the snivelling, defenceless little civilian who needed to _rest_ after being at the _edge_ of the war while the rest of them had been at its heart.

The thought of it made her fingers twist in anger; her nails biting into her palm at her self-detest. She was still the weak link, even now.

Human and Autobot alike, the brave _warriors_ had fought in _two_ wars; lost comrades and defended people who didn't know they existed. _She_ welded metal and fiddled with engine parts. With a heavy sigh, she dropped herself into her chair at her workbench and picked up her tools.

She was currently finishing up Jolt's water gun, for lack of a fancier title, so that she could provide him with an edge next time he went into battle. She'd worked out how to attach it; and she'd hand-welded a massive, long, cylindrical chamber that would be incorporated into his forearm so that the jet of water could come out of his wrist.

She had to confess, she'd gotten the inspiration for the idea by watching Spiderman reruns on her little _vacation_.

Flipping open her notebook, she studied it very closely as she worked; it was filled with her work with Ratchet on Cybertronian techniques. What Ratchet didn't know was that she had been doing some calculations of her own in the back of the book; experimenting and improving his theories and mechanisms. This was the side of her work that N.E.S.T had hired her for in the first place.

She didn't think the same as everyone else.

A lot of her ideas were reverse engineering; created by studying the Autobots and their anatomy. So far her favourite was the design for Ironhide's cannons; she'd been studying them for a long while and had always sat in with Ratchet when he was repairing them so that she could learn how they worked.

The Autobots would not share their weapons with humans, but that didn't mean she couldn't try to _make_ them herself.

Tessa was not a spiteful or violent person (_except for when it came to __Galloway_) and she wasn't one for bloodlust. So she wasn't going to create some weapon of mass destruction so that she could take over the world, but since her return from Egypt…since _losing_ Optimus the way that she had… She'd decided that she wanted a way to _help _them.

What if Decepticons found the base and attacked them?

Or if, _God forbid_, one of the Autobots was harmed to the point of incapacitation?

She wanted to be able to step in and aid them. She wasn't expecting to be a hero; she was hardly the type in the first place. She didn't plan to go into the middle of battle and save the day, because she had zero military experience and she was not battle hardened. But if she there was something, _anything_ that she could do when it came to crunch time; she would do it.

For them.

Some of the designs hidden in the back of her book were concepts for her very own weapon; something that she could use against a Decepticon. She had several theories on the most effective weapon that could be used against them. She'd thought up electrical pulse guns, temperature resistant flamethrowers, electrical Taser blades; but so far nothing she came up with felt _powerful_ enough. Tessa wanted to think _big_.

After all, there was a Decepticon out there powerful enough to have killed Optimus; any weapon a lowly human went into battle with would have to pack a serious punch.

As she pieced together Jolt's weapon, she briefly entertained the thought of making one for herself, but quickly squashed the thought. Jolt constantly carried electricity that coursed through his system. For her to make a water gun effective against Decepticons she would have to have a live electrical weapon on hand, and as a human the combination was far too risky.

Deciding to work on her own designs some more at home, or in her own free time later; she focused intently on finishing the Volt's gift. She was relieved that he liked the idea, he'd even complemented her later for her ingenuity; a fact that meant so much more coming from the one she hadn't had the closest of relationships with.

As she normally did, Tessa immersed herself completely in her work; ignoring the ticking clock that sat above her station. As seconds turned into minutes, and eventually the minutes turned to hours, the sun long slipped away and the N.E.S.T base was plunged into moonlight.

The mechanic eventually fell asleep at her work station, bathed in the light of her work lamp.

-0-0-0-0-0-

It wasn't until most of the N.E.S.T operatives had either gone home or were in the barracks, and his soldiers were in stasis; that Optimus Prime decided to take some time to think.

There were so few moments where he got the chance to reflect for himself, after all he was the leader. Everyone looked to him for the answers, and he hated to think that perhaps one day he might fail to protect them; it was a heavy burden for even the strongest to bear. As he made his way across the darkened tarmac, he caught sight of the stars. They shone so bright, some even shining years after their destruction due to the light of them still travelling space.

His Cybertron was out there somewhere; dead and dark.

A heavy, hissing exhalation of compressed air escaped him momentarily as he turned his gaze back to the Earth he now took refuge upon. He would have been lying if he had said he wasn't homesick; and he knew his soldiers felt the pain as much as he did. But Cybertron was no more than a barren wasteland now, and for now their new home was here; until the humans bid them away.

He had seen so much good in them.

Sam, their first real human ally, had grown so much in their company; he was becoming a man right before their eyes. Bumblebee had so much _love_ for the boy, and Optimus knew that it was because Sam was now the closest thing to a brother that he had; they were a family no matter how small or strange. This was another part of the humans that fascinated and awed him; their capacity to love and care.

It was true that there were members of the human race that were vile, dark and selfish; but had his own kind been so different in their time? They were capable of both great compassion, and great destruction.

Cybertron itself was evidence of that.

In his silent reminiscence, a faint light caught his optics; coming from one of the hangars. It wasn't excessively bright, in fact he wouldn't have been surprised if it was not visible to the human eye; however his curiosity got the better of him and he made his way towards the source. Resting his large, metal hand against the frame of the hangar's colossal, open doorway as he entered, he scanned it briefly; taking in the surroundings. It was the workshop hangar where Ratchet did repairs, and where Tessa would work on the Autobots in both of their forms.

Speaking of whom….

As his optics zeroed in on the source of the light, he realized that it was the mechanic-in-question's work light that was creating the glow. Tessa was sitting awkwardly at her bench, bent over papers and books, metal parts and tools strewn all around her. Her back was bent in a manner that can't have been comfortable, and as he approached her (_careful to tread as quietly as his massive feet would allow_) he saw that she had her head rested on her arms, her hands tucked into the crooks of her elbows. He could not help but smile endearingly at her.

He could admit that the little female had filled most of his thoughts recently. There was something about her that…kept him grounded.

While his first interest in her had simply been for her research with what she had called "Fusion Engineering" and her amusing conversation; she had become inseparably important to him at a rate that had both surprised and _scared_ him a little.

When he thought back to when Ironhide had told him of that human _vile_ who had tried to hurt her…to _hurt_ her…his Spark rattled almost violently. The thought of anyone causing her harm just…there were no _words_.

A soft, breathy sigh brought him out of his reeling thoughts, to the girl who was moving in her sleep, obviously experiencing some level of discomfort with her sleeping arrangements. She shuffled on her arms and shifted positions; subconsciously trying to find something more comfortable. She ended up with her head on the other side, her tangles of auburn waves falling across her face; her lips parted a little as she breathed.

Primus help him, she was just so _beautiful_.

He smiled as he thought of how she would react to the compliment; she seemed to prefer compliments on her skills rather than the way that she looked…but truly, in his eyes she _was_.

Was it really so unreasonable that he had thought about her as often as he did? That he wanted to be at her side? Be _with_ her?

He didn't know where the path they were on would take them, but he was willing to find out. After all he was a Cybertronian, and their race felt _deeply_; a trait in which he knew that he and Tessa were alike. Her empathy was so much deeper than most of her race.

He noticed that a slight breeze syphoned gently through the hangar, and the girl gave a slight shiver in her sleep; she was cold.

_Of __course_, he thought, _Earth's deserts get cold at night, and she is wearing…not very much_.

The Prime fought to keep his thoughts innocent as he observed that she wore her usual attire; the jumpsuit folded and tied around the waist and her arms bare in that _threadbare_ shirt.

Ugh…this did nothing for his self-restraint.

Deciding that she needed to be moved somewhere warmer and more comfortable, he transformed as softly as he could; something that despite his best efforts still gave off some level of noise. However Tessa only stirred slightly, just proof of how hard she had worked herself during the day; she reacted to the noise but did not wake. In a way this relieved him; the last thing Optimus wanted to do was disturb her.

Once he was in his Peterbilt form, he focused his energy into a Holoform; the creation slowly integrating from the collection of electrical pulses into a solid being. His eyes shot to the cross that was upon his wrist; a representation of the one that resided between the plates of his chest; right near his Spark chamber. The Holoform climbed down from the driver's side of the truck and planted its feet heavily onto the concrete.

It still felt a little strange to him; being in this form.

The use of a Holoform was something that would have been hard to explain to a human, but the closest thing he could imagine it to be like was a split-screen effect. The consciousness was divided between two physical forms; both aware of their surroundings and able to react to them. A human could put it down to something of an 'out-of-body' experience; but it was more complicated.

As he approached the mechanic, he felt a smile tug at his lips; observing her as she rested. He wondered what it was that she dreamed of, and if it was pleasant; Transformers did not project dreams while they were in stasis because it was more of a complete, temporary shut-down. Reaching a hand out to her, he paused before gently running the pads of his fingers under her hair and stroking it out of her face.

By some sort of habit, his fingers found her lips; the digits tracing them gently in wonder. It was through no control of his own that they did so, it was just a natural action; instinctual.

_Primus_ he wanted to kiss her.

The instinct in itself was a foreign one to him; because Cybertronians were not inclined to _kiss_, this desire was clearly one that had been influenced by his human companions. They sought comfort and love through touch, not the converging of compatible data; just one of the many differences in their races. Optimus certainly couldn't deny the appeal that touching her had; mostly because of the way it would always make that wonderful _colour_ dusted her cheeks.

Shaking his head to himself, he removed his hand from her lips and placed it on her shoulder blade, gently sliding her other hand under her opposite arm before lifting her from the workbench.

"Up we go." He murmured gently.

She jumped slightly and her eyes shot open, bleary and confused as she spoke; her voice thick with sleep. "Wh-what's wrong?" she breathed.

In response, trying to calm her, he gently ran his thumb over her shoulder, "It's alright, it's only me." He said quietly, "You need to go to bed; you are distorting you spine sleeping here."

She leaned against him heavily as she stood, her nose buried sleepily into his neck as she whispered, "Peterbilt…?"

He gently shook his head; she sounded so exhausted, "No…I'm taking you to the soldier barracks so that you may rest there."

"Mm…" was her only response. He felt her muscles going slack again, and so with an amused and endearing smile, he knelt down and swung his left arm under her knees, tucked her left shoulder beneath his right arm and cradled her bridal style against his chest so that he could carry her instead; a casual display of the Holoform's concealed strength. She was so light in comparison that it was almost like lifting a feather.

Taking care to keep her steady, he headed for the sleeping barracks just on the other side of their current hangar; the Peterbilt quietly idling along a distance behind them like some kind of stray puppy. As he made his way into the hangar connected to the soldier quarters, he felt Tessa's breath hitch and she buried her face into his jacket with a sleepy sigh; her fingers curling around the fabric like a child with a blanket. The fact that her hand was pressing over where the pulse of his Spark was made him smile; he felt the energy source tingle in both of the Holoform, and the truck.

Exploiting his ability to see in the dark, he found the mechanic's bunk, pulling the covers back with only slight difficulty as he tried to balance her without disturbing her. He gently placed her on the bed and removed her heavy boots; however the action roused her a little, making her look at him with tired eyes.

"My jumpsuit…" she murmured to herself. Then he saw that she reached her hands for the knot around her waist to untie it before he realized that she was _pulling them down_.

Was she too tired to realize what she was doing?

"T-Tessa-!" he whispered harshly, trying to alert her. He turned his gaze away worriedly, trying to ignore the strange sensation of warmth that rushed to his face; was this the feeling Tess got when she did that wonderful _blushing _thing?

"What…?" she murmured as he heard the sound of heavy fabric hitting the floor. He didn't want to look (_well…he __did__, he just knew that he __shouldn't__ want to_) but he needed to check her so that he could make sure she was able to sleep.

He was relieved to find that she was wearing something underneath; a pair of those strange, skin-close black fabric pants. _Leggings_ hadn't she called them? Either way, she was appropriately covered; even if they _did_ hug her skin a little too well. She stretched exhaustedly on the mattress as he unintentionally took in her form; with the grey tank, her black pants and her white socks he found himself using an incredibly human word to describe her. She looked…_sexy_.

With a heavy, self-centring sigh he grabbed the bottom of the blankets and lifted them over her feet gently. "Go to sleep…" he murmured to her gently, pulling the covers up.

He was stopped by a soft, feather-light grasp on his wrist; the grip too tired to go any tighter. Tessa looked up at him through heavy, half-lidded eyes before she whispered to him, "Stay…"

He took another look at her expression; her soft figure and felt the breathe catch in his Holoform's throat. "I…I don't know that's a good ide-"

Tessa's grasp tensed only briefly before her eyes closed; hardly able to stay awake. "Please…don't leave…" she breathed.

She was asking him…_asking_ him; how was he supposed to say _no_?

He couldn't.

Exhaling heavily at his lack of restraint, he sat down on the side of the bed before focusing on the Holoform's clothing. The jacket, boots and belt chain disintegrated into several tiny electrical pulse sparks; leaving him in the plain black undershirt, the dark pants and the chain bearing the Autobots symbol around his neck; Tessa's necklace was still around his left wrist.

He slid down onto the mattress and gently tucked the girl's head into the crook of his shoulder; her head resting against him. Then he pulled the blanket up over the two of them and laid back onto her pillow with a heavy breathe; Tessa pulled her right arm over his waist in a sleepy hug, her head rested comfortably on his chest as her breathing began to steady as she returned slumber. It was certainly going to be a challenge to keep the Holoform all night; it was a surreal feeling to be 'out' of his own body, but for Tessa; he didn't mind making the effort.

Not one bit.


	29. Dropping Plates

**Okay, so basically Tessa gets a little bit injured in this chapter; through her own stupidity mind you. (**_**Oooh just you wait till **__**Optimus**__** finds out :D hehehe**_**)**

**I wanted to show a side to Tessa's personality that hasn't really been touched on (**_**I don't think it has, anyway**_**) I know she's a qualified mechanic; she's a professional and she's good at what she does. But let's not forget that she's also one-track-minded and a little childish; so when she's excited about something, or anxious; she has an **_**occasional**_** tendency to forget, or skip things.**

**So her injury is not as out of character as you might think (**_**before any 'keep-your-character-IN-character' flamers start on me**_**); it's a peril of her occupation that I can ASSURE you has probably happened to her before ;P**

**P.S. Her Skittles will make appearances in every few chapters, but I'm trying not to make the story "Skittles, Skittles, Skittles, Skittles, Skittles" because her addiction to them is a subconscious thing; she just DOES it and doesn't need to make a song and dance about it every time she eats one. But rest assured, she's still our Skittles-loving, silly-humoured Tessa hahaha.**

**P.P.S. I just adore her little 'moment-of-observation' time with Optimus in the beginning ;)**

**Anyhow, hope you guys enjoy!**

When Tessa woke up the next morning, she had expected to wake up bent over her workspace with a stiff neck and a numb butt.

What she _hadn't_ expected was to find herself curled up warm under the blankets of her N.E.S.T bunk, wrapped in the arms of an ungodly beautiful man who smelled of metal and masculinity. Not that she was going to complain; oh _heavens_ no.

Not in the slightest.

With a smile she propped herself up on her arm so that she could take some time to observe the Holoform as it rested beside her. She didn't look at it as Optimus himself; the body was merely just a vessel that allowed them these tender moments, all the Holoform did was act as an extension of him. The early morning sun shone through the high, military issue windows of the building, dancing gently over his high cheekbones, and creating a glossy sheen in that blue-black mop of hair. She noticed that his chest did not move beneath her hand, and his eyes did not move beneath his eyelids.

It made sense, she supposed; because the Holoform wasn't actually _alive_ for all intents and purposes; things like breathing were actions he made it do when he was _awake_. But evidently he was in stasis now; and not in conscious control of the body. Tessa gently dragged her hand from his chest and traced her fingers lightly along the strip of facial hair on his chin; giggling to herself at the tickle beneath her digits. The lithe, stained fingers rested on the junction between his neck and his shoulder and she suddenly remembered the night he had come back to the Naval Fleet from Egypt; the night she had not dared to believe he was really there.

There was a little favour she wanted to return to him from that night.

Stretching forward on her stomach, she lowered her right hand onto the Holoform's solid chest and tucked her face underneath the crook in his neck with an almost cheeky smile. She pursed her lips and pressed them against the sleeping Optimus' neck softly; feeling her stomach flutter with the action. His body was warm, but Tessa couldn't help but noticed that his skin retained a faint metallic taste against her lips; a taste that was so _him_.

"Good morning, Chief," she murmured, before she gently dragged her hand down to his chest to pick up the pendant from around his neck; the symbol of the Autobots glowing a very faint blue colour from the Energon that was laced through it, "my very own alien diplomat…"

She giggled a little at the thought before sitting up a little and quietly swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She didn't really _want_ to get up; in fact if she was honest, she could have staying in his arms all day without a thought. Upon looking down at her dangling feet, she realized that she was dressed in her black under-leggings, her tank top and her socks.

Wait…had Optimus…removed her _pants_?

In an almost sudden recollection, the previous night came back to her in blurry pieces, only recalling snippets of conversation; but she remembered the expression on his face when _she_ had begun to remove her _own_ pants.

"Oh Optimus…" she whispered with a smile, "…ever the gentleman; I should have known."

Searching the floor for her jumpsuit, she pulled draped it over her arm and ducked quietly under the bunk for her toiletries container before making her way quietly to the locker rooms where the showers were located.

When she had finally returned, fresh, dressed and ready for the day; her bunk was empty. The covers were just as she had left them and there was a slight indentation on one side where Optimus' Holoform had lain beside her. She felt her chest swell at the fact that he had _moved_ her there in the first place. She tossed her things onto the bunk carelessly; deciding to deal with it later, before she exited the barracks and headed for her work hangar.

Her scuffed, heavy boots jingled solidly with each step that she took across the tarmac, heading for where she had fallen asleep the night before; however a massive air-horn sounded from behind her making her jump nearly a foot in the air.

Her face broke into a grin when she spotted a familiar Peterbilt rolling up the airstrip towards her before pulling to a stop next to the little female. To Tessa's delight and amusement, the driver's side door opened and the radio sparked to ride; a snippet from what sounded like an old western playing over the speakers.

"_Offer ye' a ride ma'am?_" it said.

She couldn't help but laugh as she stepped closer to the truck, placing her hand gently on the smokestack beside the door; running her thumb over it tenderly. "Now how could I refuse such a handsome old cowboy like you?" she replied cheekily before climbing into the driver's seat, spotting her necklace twined around the rear-view mirror. The seatbelt curled itself around her body so that it could clip into place, a motion that made her laugh at him, "Chief; we're only going across the base!'

She heard a liquid chuckle rumble from the surround sound as he responded to her, "That is irrelevant. You won't be in any danger when you ride with me."

Running her fingers playfully over the seat as he drove forward, she leaned her head against the backrest and giggled, "Oh, I have no doubt. You're such an overprotective old truck aren't you?" Tessa grinned and patted the steering wheel fondly as she teased him. However to her surprise, his response was not quite as jesting; in fact he sounded serious.

"I will never risk your safety," he said calmly…._sternly_, "…not yours."

She felt her cheeks flush at his words, understanding the magnitude in him. She was important to him now; there was no way on Earth that he would allow any harm to befall her; and she knew it. The gesture warmed her heart, that consistent fondness for him rising in her chest and making her smile embarrassedly. As a reassurance, she leaned over the steering wheel with a sigh and planted a quick kiss on the Autobot symbol at its centre. "I know, Chief; I really appreciate it, I do," then she remembered the previous night, her cheeks burning with giddy embarrassment, "Thank you for moving me last night; and for staying."

She heard him chuckle as they pulled up at the hangar; he sounded like he was thinking of something highly amusing…or ironic.

"I am glad that I did, even if it did require a little restraint on my part…" he said quietly, an underlying tone in his voice that she couldn't quite assess.

"What…what do you mean by restraint?"

"Last stop; everybody off." He said smoothly. He had a definite _cheek_ in his voice, and it had to make her wonder; just what was he _hiding_? She smirked at the thought as she climbed down from the truck; hearing him transform as soon as she was safely on the ground. She had whirled around to watch the process; constantly impressed and _fascinated_ by the way the gears, parts and wires all contused from one form to another.

He was…_magnificent_.

With a smile she gave him a sloppy salute before she turned and looked at the hangar behind her. "Well I'm off to earn my daily bread, Chief; I'll see you later." However as she started to walk away, she heard his massive foot take a step forward; the gears whirring and hissing as he moved.

"Wait."

She paused and turned to him with a confused expression; intrigued by his request. Her wonders were quelled when she saw him bend down onto one knee and reach a hand out to her slowly; it was so much like the first time she had kissed his cheek and bid him to be careful in his quest to retrieve Sam. This time she felt no worry or anxiety as the massive hand approached her form; hovering gently beside her. He curled his fingers, leaving only the pointer digit free from a soft fist he had made. Using this finger, he timidly slid it under her jaw; tenderly cupping her chin just the same as he had done that first night.

In response, Tessa smiled and closed her eyes; completely relaxed and calm at his touch. This in itself relieved him, to know that she felt safe at his touch; that she was unafraid of the massive difference in their size.

But then again, she'd never _feared_ him in the first place.

Raising her own hand, she curled her own fingers around his massive one and tenderly stroked the metal; feeling the scratches and stresses of the sheeting. She still found the image of the lion and the sparrow playing in her mind. The mighty lion-so strong and powerful in the protection of its charges; dangerous and aggressive when its family was threatened; and the tiny little sparrow-weak in power, but capable of retaining its freedom through flight, the bird that had no binds.

They were quite the pair…

She smiled to herself and opened her eyes to look at Optimus, startled only a _little_ when she realized that he was already watching her. The sharpness and intensity of his optics never failed to leave her breathless; their colour and depth and swimming on in endless, crystalline blue. They made her own amber, human eyes feel bland and dull by comparison, but she didn't care; so long as she got to see _his_. "Everything okay, Chief?" she asked quietly, still tracing her fingers tenderly along his own massive digit.

He gave a relaxed nod and smiled, "Yes. I just wanted to make sure of something."

"And what was that?" she asked with a cheeky smile.

There was a brief pause on his part before, "…That you are truly real."

The magnitude of his words hit her like a physical force, so much affection and _longing_ was in the statement. There was a sense of sadness underlying it though, but she knew the reason behind this; he'd lost comrades and friends in battle before and it was hard to want something that you feared you would lose. Deciding to make light of the situation, she patted his hand playfully, looking up at him with a soft, understanding smile.

"I'm as real as they come, Optimus Prime; and don't you _forget_ it."

With an amused chuckle, he gently removed his hand from under her chin and stroked tenderly at the mass of damp, auburn waves that were currently loose after her previous shower. "I will keep that in mind," he said fondly, "I had best let you get to your work. I will see you at some point later today."

Scratching the bridge of her nose with her thumb, she shot him a playful grin, "Absolutely Chief; I'll see you later." And with that, she patted the metal of his still hovering hand and took off into the hangar; eager to finish her work.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"SWEET UNMERCIFUL CRUST OF A TRUCKER'S ASS!" came a pained screech; the noise ringing through the empty space.

Tessa was relieved that there was nobody else in the workshop with her right now, because she would otherwise have had to explain her severe stupidity and outright _cockiness_ at having thought she could use a power saw without protective gear. 'Oh it'll be fine,' she'd thought, 'After all, it's only a small part I need to cut and I'm skilled with power tools.'

_Oh yeah…really fucking __smart,__ Tess_! She said bitterly to herself as her own harsh voice resounded through her brain, _You should know __better__ than that_!

She hissed in pain as she lifted her right hand, observing the angled gash along her forearm. The slice wasn't _excessively_ deep, but it curved slightly around the slope of her skin; scolding her foolish actions harshly she reminded herself that she was lucky her whole _arm_ hadn't been sliced off.

She had been stupid; too eager and excited about _finishing_ the last touches to Ironhide's machete that she'd rushed herself. Severe annoyance flared in her chest at her stupidity; she'd acted like a _damned_ novice fresh out of engineering school. She should have known not to be so idiotic; and now she was paying for it in the blood that was gushing from her arm.

"Damn it to hell." She growled at herself. She needed to find some towels and something to bind the cut with; and she wanted to do so before someone found out how stupid she'd been and give her a lecture. The wound was _hardly_ life-threatening, and certainly not the worst she'd sustained in her life as a grease monkey, the only thing that was thoroughly damaged right now was her own pride.

Tess made her way to the locker rooms with her arm clenched in her opposite hand, trying to hold it above her hand to stem the flow of dark red blood. She was relieved to reach the racks where the towels were contained, and she grabbed a pile of them before opening the first aid cabinet that was located on the wall beside them; white with a green cross in the centre to show its contents. She wrapped the towel roughly around her arm with her teeth in a make-shift absorbent; the terry-towelling making her arm look like it had some strange sort of white mitten on it. Pulling the disinfectant out of the cabinet, she twisted the cap off with her teeth and tossed it at her feet before squeezing the towel on her arm. Finally she removed it, seeing that it had wiped away most of the excess blood; although there was still more coming from the wound, not a lot, just enough to show that the injury was fresh. She ignored it and splashed the disinfectant onto her free hand so that she could slather it onto the wound.

_Oh sweet fucking __Jesus__ it burned_!

The antiseptic felt like it was setting her arm on fire, but she ignored it; instead reaching for the bandages she needed to wrap the wound. The way she figured it, the pain served her right for being reckless and idiotic.

Taking one end of the wrapping in her teeth, she started to bind the wound, tightly so as to stop the bleeding altogether. It didn't take her long, and once the wound was patched up, she hastily picked up the towels and threw them into the laundry hamper by the door; tucking them underneath the rest so as to hide the evidence. With a contented sigh she rubbed a hand over her bandaged arm before unknotting the arms of her jumpsuit from around her waist and slipping them over her shoulders; sliding her hands through before zipping the suit up. At least her arms were covered now. However as she stepped towards the exit, she spotted something on the floor…

Drops of her own blood.

"Shit." She cursed under her breath, the hadn't thought about the trail she'd probably left from her work station to the locker room. She needed to clean it up before-

"Tessa? Are you in here?" came Lennox's worried exclamation from the hangar.

…before _that_ happened….

She felt her heart jump into her throat, Lennox was probably the one who would scold her the _most _if he found out what had happened; well, at least her arm was covered by the sleeve. Maybe she could _lie_ about it!

She deflated just thinking about it; she knew that was a stupid option…she was a terrible liar. Evidently she took too long to answer, because she heard Lennox call her name once more; closer and more frantic this time. He'd obviously seen the blood and thought she was in trouble. Okay…so she was a terrible liar, but she was still going to try…

"I-In here!" she called out to him, her voice cracking a little from her nerves.

The soldier in question came bursting in; completely ignoring the fact that she was currently in the _women's_ locker room. His face was worried and his eyes were anxious.

"Tess! I saw blood out in the workshop, are you alright?"

She flashed him a grin, shutting her eyes as she did so; hoping this would prevent him from reading her. "I'm fine now; nothing major."

"N-Nothing major? What happened out there if it wasn't major?"

"What happened? Nothing happened."

"You just said you were fine _now_. What happened _before_ now?" he pressed, noticing her face tint with colour.

_Aw crap…I'm r__eally__ bad at this_… she thought to herself, biting her lip.

"I just…cut myself with a tool. That's all; I'm fine!" _There_, she thought, _that wasn't __actually__ a lie_!

"What tool?" he said sternly, without hesitation. Lennox cared for Tessa, but he wasn't going to let her pretend she wasn't hurt if she was; and he'd seen a _decent_ amount of blood out in the workshop. He took notice to the way she subconsciously touched her hand to her right forearm, her shoulder instinctively cringing in retreat to the touch; she clearly didn't realize that even her _body_ couldn't lie.

"Um…it was a… carving blade…?" her answer ended up sounding more like a question.

Lennox gave a heavy sigh and pressed his hand to his forehead; frustrated by her stubbornness. She didn't like having fuss made over her, but if she was hurt; he wasn't going to allow one of his team to leave it unattended. If she needed medical treatment, he needed to know.

"A carving blade huh? I suppose you left _the carving blade_ over by the _power saw_, am I right?"

Her eyes widened in shock. He knew her game, and she couldn't lie to him. Didn't mean she wouldn't _try_ to make him believe her story; as pitifully lame as that attempt was. "Y-Yes, I did."

Her blood ran cold in nervous chills as he gave her an annoyed look; his eyes laced with severe concern. She noticed that his eyes darted to the medicine box on the wall; which she had left slightly ajar.

_Shit_… she thought.

"Tessa," he said firmly, his gaze leaving no room for her attempt at an argument, "let me see that arm."

_Double shit…_


	30. Just A Little Bit

**Okay, I think this chapter might be a little bit shorter…but maybe not, I think it's about the same number of pages I usually write.**

**Anyway, I am dead tired because I wanted you guys to be able to see Optimus' reaction; I didn't want to make you wait. **

**Aren't I just SO NICE? Hahaha.**

**This chapter is basically just an excuse for me to write the awesomeness that is Tessimus Fluff. You all know you love reading it; and I just love writing the growing relationship between the two of them. They're just so…so…NAAAAAWWWW!**

**Anywho, if there are spelling or grammar errors I apologize, because as I said I am VERY sleepy right now. **

**Please enjoy!**

"How could you be so reckless?" Lennox bellowed, pacing back and forth in front of the mechanic with his hand on his head in frustration. Tessa, who was seated on a metal work chair; was quick to agree with him, but he didn't want to hear it.

"I know, Lennox. I already-"

"You could've lost your hand; or your arm! Hell Tess, you could've _killed_ yourself!"

"I know! I'm-OW DAMMIT!" she hissed harshly at the medic who was currently kneeling beside her trying to gently suture her gash; _apparently_ it had been deep enough to require stitches. She was still annoyed at herself, and in all honesty she didn't blame him for being angry with her; it had been a stupid move on her part.

"Sorry…" the medic mumbled as he dabbed a little more numbing antiseptic onto the wound. It dulled the pain; but she could still feel the needle threading through her skin. Her age-old disgust at the human body was amplified by watching her own flesh be pulled together in neat little rows and she couldn't _look_ at it; so she turned back to Lennox.

"Look, Will; I _know_ it was stupid! Nobody is more annoyed about it than I am, believe me-"

Lennox cut her off with a raise of his hand, an exhausted and irritated look on his face. "I doubt that, Tessa! You're just lucky Optimus didn't find out yet!"

"Didn't find out what?" came Epps' voice from the doorway of the hangar. They turned to see him, and to Tessa's distress; Optimus was standing behind the dark skinned soldier. He looked worried and confused, obviously having walked in on the wrong end of the conversation.

_Shit_! Tessa thought once again, _Double, triple, double, double, __quadruple__ shit_!

Lennox had a look of stress on his face, obviously trying to find the right way to word the situation to Optimus; he knew the Autobot leader would be horrified to hear about Tessa's little "mishap" with the cutting saw. However, not wanting her friend to be the one to face the music; Tess waved her free hand for everyone's attention.

"Everything's okay Chief, I just had a little accident." She said, trying not to look at the medic officer who was just about finished sewing her up like a ragdoll, "Nothing to worry about."  
>Epps looked up at Optimus, and then over at her in concern, "If…if it was nothing to worry about…" he looked over at Lennox who was rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger, "…then why is there a medical officer sitting next to you with your arm in his lap?"<p>

Will gave an annoyed, frustrated growl and pointed at Tessa. "Because _someone_ sliced their arm open on a _power saw_!"

Epps' eyes widened in surprise, "What? But how; what about the protective gear?"

The lighter haired soldier rolled his eyes before turning to her with a look that said 'spill it or you'll be in big trouble' before she sighed in defeat and answered; looking from Epps to Optimus.

"I…might…not have been wearing it…" she murmured, cringing at how _annoyed_ at herself the statement made her feel; at just how utterly _stupid_ she had been.

"What?" Epps exclaimed worriedly. He looked up to see Optimus step right over the top of him, kneeling onto on leg so that he was eye level with Tessa, his expression one of concern and disturbance. She resisted the urge to laugh as she felt the medic tense next to her, quickly finishing off the stitches as Optimus watched him do so. Then he quickly packed up his things, muttered something incoherent and stumbled out of the hangar; obviously intimidated by the massive alien robot who had been staring at him.

Once the medic was gone, the Prime turned his gaze to Tessa; his gaze not only frightened and worried, but _angry_. She had to admit, it scared her a little to see him annoyed at her; but she tried not to let it bother her, after all he was only upset because he was worried. He reached up a massive finger and hovered it over the stitches in her arm; clearly not trusting himself enough to touch them without hurting her.

"Why…?" he asked her in a low tone, his optics zeroing in on her; making her feel like she was a only a foot tall, "Why would you _endanger _yourself in such a way?"

"She was rushing, trying to make that knife thing for Ironhide-" Lennox started, but Tessa screeched at him; annoyed at all the unwanted fuss being made over her, and annoyed at herself for having been so stupid in the first place.

"_Damn it_ Lennox! I know it was the wrong thing! It was stupid and foolish, and I could have taken off my arm; I _know_! I should have worn protective gear and I made the wrong choice! But Jesus Christ, I'm not made of _porcelain_!" she yelled, making the Prime in front of her snap his gaze to her at the sharp outburst. However Tess was standing now, her hand pressed to Optimus' cheek as she continued to defend herself. "I've suffered worse than something like this, Will! I'm a _mechanic_; there will be times when I get _hurt_ doing my job. Please-!" she stopped, catching her breath in her throat before looking at Optimus and then to Lennox again, "_Please_ don't reprimand me for doing my job. My decision this time was a wrong one; but I don't make choices like that often. I'm sorry…"

She tried to ignore the throbbing pain in her arm as the pain killers started to wear off; and she held gazes with Epps and Lennox, not wanting to look into Optimus' face for fear of the anger she might see there. To her relief, Will nodded and gave a heavy sigh.

"Alright fine…Optimus, you talk to her; she listens to you." He said exhaustedly before turning and motioning for Epps to follow him out.

Then it was just the two of them; Tessa and her Autobot.

"Tessa-" he started, however he was cut off by a suddenly frantic and motor mouthed mechanic trying to spill her defences.

"Before you say anything Chief, I _know_! It-It was stupid and dumb, and reckless a-and _unprofessional_ and I-"

A gentle finger on her head stopped her rambling as a gentle tone shushed her and she turned to see the leader's face staring intently at her, glancing down every so often at the stitches in her arm; the skin turning slightly red from inflammation. "I know." He murmured, curling the finger softly around her shoulders and pulling her closer to his face, "You saw the wrong in your decision as soon as it was made…I understand; I just…wish you hadn't been so _reckless_!"

With a surprised gasp, Tessa felt herself pushed forward suddenly; almost colliding with the Prime's face. Then she realized; he was the one pressing her forward, holding her against him in the only form of embrace he could offer her in this mode. She sighed and clenched her arms to him; ignoring the pulse of the stitches.

"It frightens me." He said quietly, feeling her breath against the metal of his cheek.

Tess felt her heart ache at his words; she knew that sort of pain. She would have felt the same if it had been Lennox or Epps, hurt in the line of duty. Or if her little Lucy had done something reckless and dangerous; or if _Optimus_ had put his life in danger in a battle against a Decepticon, she would have gotten angry too. "The idea of you being harmed…_scares_ me."

Tessa pressed her forehead against his cheek, her hands frantically trying to trace and memorise every curve of his metal. She pressed a kiss to the cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, placing another kiss a little lower on his cheek before she reached for his face; making him turn to her, "hey-look at me, Optimus." She held his gaze intensely before planting another, longer kiss onto the metal curve of his lip, "I'm sorry. I would never do anything to hurt you."

To her surprise, when she leant forward to kiss his mouth again, he pressed lips against hers in return. It was only a slight pressure, soft and awkward; but it was more than enough to send sensational pulses to her fingertips…he'd _kissed_ her back. It was offset and the size difference probably made it look…odd, but she couldn't have cared less. "Then do not put yourself in harm's way…" he whispered; the exhalation of compressed air brushing gently against her face.

She understood the meaning behind his words; _your pain is my pain_.

A soft, slow nod escaped her as she traced the seams of his mouth, "I'm sorry, Chief… but everything's okay now."

To her surprise, he did not reply to her statement. Instead, he gentle stroked her back once more with his finger before moving back and straightening to his full height in front of her. The sound of gears and hydraulics began to ring through the hangar as he morphed into the form of the Peterbilt. Once he had; Tessa heard the familiar electrifying sound of the Holoform being created; her heart sinking and rising at the same time when she saw it. The artificial form was dressed in his usual getup as he approached her.

Her breath hitched as he stopped right in front of her and he clasped a hand gently behind her ear, bending his face until he was mere inches away from her lips. She could feel the Holoform's exhalations on her skin as he hovered over the skin of her lips; was he going to kiss her? Or wasn't he? Optimus' bent his head and held himself steady over her mouth, his eyes closing in an almost bracing manner; conflicted.

"I…want to kiss you…" he whispered to her, "_Primus_ knows I want to…" Tessa gasped as she felt him drop her face away from hers, instead pressing his nose to her neck and inhaling deeply; memorizing her, "But not yet… Your kind takes time for things like this. I wish to do things…_right_ for you."

He traced his hands down her arms tenderly before lifting her right arm up closer to him, observing the stitches that now marred her skin. The flesh around the sutures was puckered and slightly inflamed; and looked as if it caused her some discomfort. He raised her arm tenderly to eye level before he planted gentle, feather-light kisses along the stitches, the seams pressing against his mouth as she hitched her breath a little at the contact.

She was touched by his words of concern; he wanted to do things the human way; treat her as he would if he were human. Even though she accepted him the way he was; she appreciated him allowing her the time for their relationship to _grow_.

"Do they hurt…?" he whispered against her skin in, between the caresses; his breath causing her to break out in goose bumps.

_Sweet holy Hell did he even know what he was __doing__ to her_?

"A little…" she said honestly, "…but what you're doing is certainly helping…"

She felt the kisses pause for a moment, and he looked up at her with a confused expression. "It…it is?" he asked her, "…but…there is no medical affiliation between pain and…kisses on the skin…?" he sounded bewildered and awed by the idea, and Tess found it adorable. She gently pulled her arm from his gentle grip and wrapped her arms around the Holoform's waist, pulling herself flush against him; a soft, amused giggle escaping her.

"Optimus…it isn't _supposed_ to have any medical reasoning behind it. Sometimes just having someone…caress a wound in a manner of care; can help it feel better. It's a psychological thing I think…" she whispered into his shoulder, breathing in the intoxicating scent of his jacket. "You are just…so _comforting_…"

She felt the arms of the Holoform encircle over her shoulders, tracing tiny patterns in her back as he too breathed in her scent. It was just the two of them, locked away in this world that seemed to exist only around them; _their_ world. He could hold her forever. Primus he would hold her for the rest of his days if he had any say about it.

"The next time that…you wish to do something foolish like _this_," he touched the stitches on her arm softly; tenderly, "…._don't_."

She could heard a firm authority in his voice as he spoke; and if she hadn't known any better he would have sounded annoyed, but she knew that he spoke so only because he was worried for her, and had no knowledge of any other way to voice the seriousness of his concern.

"Okay…" she whispered as she pressed herself tighter into him and clutched the back of his jacket in both hands; Optimus could feel her nails scraping the fabric against his skin in an _agonizing_ temptation.

He once again had to _fight_ the urge to capture her lips.

_Too soon_, he told himself, _she is only human_. But oh Primus it took all his strength to remind himself of that fact. Instead he returned the tightened embrace around her, breathing in the scent of her hair, taking note of the way her small body _felt_ pressed against his. He filed it away; prepared to keep the memory forever no matter what happened. She was so important to him now, and the thought of her having been in danger; even if it was simply from her own foolishness, had the potential to wound him. As he felt her tiny hands tracing circles against his Holoform's spine; he knew that one thing was for certain.

He refused to lose her.


	31. With What You Have

**BAHAHAHA. This chapter was so much FUN to write! Poor Optimus, I just seem to love torturing him hehehe.**

**I simply **_**adore**_** the "man-to-man" conversation he and Lennox have in this chapter; but ****PLEASE**** guys, I want to know if I managed to keep Optimus in character? It's so difficult to make him embarrassed, and still retain his air of leadership, so please let me know whether or not I did okay.**

**Bearing in mind that he's never experienced a situation like this; I don't think I did TOO badly :/**

**On a side note: MY READERS/REVIEWERS ARE SO AWESOME! I LOVE YOU GUYS THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS MUCH!**

It had taken all of a month for Tessa's stitches to heal enough for them to be removed. It would have been sooner if she had of taken some time off to rest them; but she had flat out refused and continued coming to work every single day.

Occasionally the workload had caused the wound to tear; resulting in longer repair time for her skin. This didn't bother her so much though, she had lived through stitches several time; she _had_ grown up with two older brother's after all. Her recovery period, however, was extremely entertaining for her due to the fact that Sideswipe (_who had begrudgingly been forced to adhere to the losing conditions of his bet with Ironhide_) kept breaking the rules. Every time he was caught going over the speed limit; he'd had his 'sentence' extended by another week. Considering he'd done so twice, he'd been forced to slow down on the accelerator for roughly 3 weeks instead of the original 1. The thought made her smile.

Tess had only had her stitches removed a few days ago, and it felt wonderful to be able to dress, shower and work without having to be conscious of snagging them. There was a long scar on her arm now; but the medical officer had done such a perfect job on the sutures that once it was fully healed, it would be nothing more than a thin white line with a story behind it.

It was currently Thursday, and considering she'd been given the day off, Tessa was sitting at her kitchen table with a bag of Skittles, her ancient laptop and a carton of juice. She was _trying_ to pay her bills, but the task was boring and menial to her; too easy. Before she had started working at N.E.S.T, she had struggled to make ends meet; often taking more than one job at a time to try and maintain both her rent, and her expensive car habits. But now, for the first time ever she had money that she could actually afford to _spend_!

Evidently N.E.S.T's payroll was considerably higher than she was used to; what with all the perils and secrecy of her job, she figured it was more of a 'keep your lips sealed' sort of a bargain; and who was she to complain? Tess certainly wasn't _rolling_ in the green, but she was proud to say that she now made enough to easily cover her rent, with enough to spare for her to tuck away into a nice little savings account; she was hoping to eventually earn enough to buy herself a house. Nothing major, just a place to call her own; somewhere she could paint whatever colour she wanted, or put posters up without having to consult the landlord.

Looking down at the computer screen in a bored manner, she filled out the last segment of the credit card payment and shut off the prehistoric beast; wishing for just a moment that it had the ability to upgrade itself like a group of special vehicles she knew. She smiled to herself at the thought; she really _didn't_ like being away from base unless she had to be. If it were up to her, every waking moment would be spent with them…with _Optimus_.

But she supposed the small days of separation were a good thing, in their own way; she didn't want to become completely dependent on their presence. She had always been her own person before they came into her life, and as much as she didn't want to entertain the idea of them one day not being there; she wanted to be sure that she would survive as her own person without them.

A sudden round of music blasted from her cell phone on the kitchen counter, playing Bullet For My Valentine's 'The Last Fight' out of the speakers. She knew that ringtone; it was one that she hadn't heard in a long while and it made her heart leap in joy. Pushing the chair back, Tessa made her way to the counter and answered her cell with a smile.

"Hey stranger."

"_Nah there's a voice I ain't heard in far too long._" Came a deep voice from the other end of the line; a strong southern slur underlying the tone. Tess felt her smile grow at the familiar sound.

"It's good to hear from you, Aaron; I've missed you," she smiled as she leaned against the counter; tracing a finger over her still-slightly-healing scar on her arm, "how has life on the road been treating you?"

A scoffing laugh sounded over the other end, before a cough followed and he answered her, "_Ah y'all know me. All I need's mah gun, mah beer, an' my truck. How 'bout you little lady; Pop said you're workin' at some army base. Them army dogs treatin' you right?_"

She laughed in response; the thought of those 'army dogs' treating her anything but wonderfully was _comical _to her. "They're…amazing." She said happily, "I couldn't picture being without them now."

To her surprise, she heard Aaron snort with amusement over her phone, obviously hearing the loving tone in her voice as she spoke. "_Now hold up there; sounds like you mighty fond o' these soldiers. You got somethin' you holdin' out on me for? Ain't no secret lover boy you hidin' is it?_"

The furious scarlet of her cheeks flushed up at his words. Unlike Riley, Aaron was the typical 'over-protective' older brother with a fierce streak. He was the second son, who was far more brash and quick to action than his light-hearted, logical older brother. Throughout her childhood, whenever she was bullied or hit on by a boy in her class; Aaron was the one who was unafraid to back people up against walls with a fist in their face. Tessa was his baby sister, and Hell be _damned_ if he was going to stand for punks trying to harass her.

Even when she'd started dating he'd not lost his overprotective streak; practically _interrogating_ every boyfriend she'd ever had.

"I'm not holding out on you, Az. I'm just…_happy_ there."

"_Pop said something like that; but he said it was dangerous right? You get hurt, I'll run each of them under my truck an' not think twice._"  
>"Oh stop being dramatic, you overprotective redneck!" she giggled at him, "I'm the mechanic; not a soldier. I don't go into <em>battle<em> with them. The only reason I left base last time is because they wanted me to keep the vehicles in top condition before they went into the fight." Deliberately leaving out her recent mishap with the power saw, she picked at her nails before flopping down on the sofa; ready to catch up with her brother, "So how's Mom?"

-0-0-0-0-0-

Lennox had been field stripping weapons with the soldiers when he saw Optimus standing outside the training hangar; watching him intently. When he made eye contact with the Autobot leader, he noticed that there was a sort of _worry_ reflected in his optics; so he turned to Epps who was beside him and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Take over for me, I think Optimus needs something." Lennox said, gesturing over to the obviously waiting Autobot. Epps nodded in response and continued the drill with the soldiers as Lennox made his way out of the hangar.

"Optimus? Is something wrong?"

The Prime looked over the soldier and into the hangar before shaking his head decisively. "No. I wished…to ask you something," he said apprehensively, "is there somewhere quieter…that we could talk?"

The leader looked as calm as ever, but there was something clearly bothering; Lennox could sense a feeling of unrest about him. He gave a nod and gestured over to one of the storage hangars on the further side of the base, making his way over to it. He took up a seat on a pile of cargo crates and looked to Optimus, who surprisingly took a seat beside him on the ground; one leg stretched out over the tarmac in front of him, the other leg raised so that he could rest his elbow on it.

"So…what was it you wanted to ask me about?"

The massive Autobot gave a heavy, hissing sigh before looking out over at the base. "Tessa…"

A sudden wave of both understanding and relief flooded through the soldier. He'd been worried that something might have happened, or that the Decepticons might have made a move; in a way he was glad it was something as simple as 'woman troubles' that plagued the leader. "Oh…" he smiled, "What's the problem?"

"There is no…_problem_. I am simply enquiring as to the next course of action that I…what I should…" he gave a frustrated sigh before pinching the bridge of his metal nose in annoyance at himself, "…I am unsure of how I am supposed to word this without seeming…_foolish_." He turned to Lennox with a serious expression, "…How does one…court a human…?"

The soldier nearly choked on his own breath, thumping his chest violently to try and clear the airway; desperately trying not to laugh at the sheer innocence of the question.

"O-Optimus…are you asking me for…_dating advice_?" he asked with a surprised look written on his face. The Prime's slightly shuffling, awkward reaction confirmed his suspicion. Optimus still retained his naturally regal air, sitting perfectly rigid and calmly; but he was clearly uncomfortable and out of his depth; which Lennox supposed was to be expected. He was an alien robot after all; he'd never been exposed to the perils and _awkwardness_ of their world before, namely the interactions between humans. The relationship with Tessa was uncharted territory.

"If that…is the term you use, then yes; I am seeking your aid."

Lennox scratched the back of his neck nervously as he bit his lip, trying to think of how to make the conversation less awkward for both of them; unfortunately he didn't come up with any alternative. He was going to have to help Optimus deal with this head on. "Well…how did they court back on Cybertron?"

He saw a minute, almost unnoticeable cringe from the leader as the name of his home planet was mentioned; clearly it pained him to remember what had once been. "Cybertronians are…_different_ in this sense. Our relationships are based on mutual compatibility, different types of data based Transformers will react differently to other types. I believe you would compare it to chemistry; if two Cybertronians are incompatible to begin with, they are far less likely to acknowledge anything beyond basic communication. A Sparkmate is paired for life, so if data is incompatible…they will not bond."

Lennox thought about this for a minute, trying to diagnose what it was Optimus was saying. "So…it's like computer coding; if the codes don't overlay correctly, the computer crashes."

"Something like that…yes."

He nodded thoughtfully before explaining as best he could; it was like the birds and the bees conversation all over again; but only with the basic stuff. It reminded him of his first 'dating conversation' with his own father; and he tried to think of advice that had been given to _him_. "Well you see, Optimus…things aren't quite that…_final_ with humans. If they aren't compatible in some ways, they might be in others; and a lot of the time it's possible to work through those. 'Sorting out differences' it's called. It's quite possible to care about someone that you despise too; we call those love-hate relationships, and they're probably more common than you'd believe. But in regards to you and Tess…I don't think you have that problem, am I right?" he looked up at the Autobot with a cheeky smile, who shook his head in response.

"Certainly not."

"Right; well…let's see…you know, I don't know why you're asking me for this advice. You and Tessa don't have any problems interacting with each other, do you?"

Optimus gave another heavy sigh; clearly frustrated by his lack of knowledge. It was so new and _strange_; he didn't know how to go about these sort of things. War was something he knew, and he could command his soldiers with incredible ease; but Tessa was not one of his warriors. She was much more fragile, and a great deal more difficult to understand; she could not be commanded by war.

"It is not that which frustrates me. Tessa is human…her reactions and needs are different from those of a Cybertronian. You have a mate, do you not?"

Biting back the urge to laugh at the term 'mate' used to describe Sarah, he nodded and went along; hoping to show Optimus that he was listening, "Yes; she's my wife."

The robot bowed his head to look at Lennox, focusing intently on him as he spoke, "Surely it was not always so; there must have been a prior period of transition that you courted her, where you had to convince her of your quality as a mate?"

"…You could say that, I guess." Lennox laughed.

"Then what steps are there in a human courtship that need to be taken…? I do not want Tessa to have to feel…different; or that she is missing something from this tradition." To Lennox's surprise, the Prime had started to twitch his fingers nervously; a subtle show of the conflict he was feeling, and he sort of felt sorry for how _scary_ the situation must have been for him.

"In all honesty, I don't think you should worry about it so much…but if it makes you feel better then I'll help you out on this…" he took in a deep breath, trying to piece together everything he knew about women, "To start off with…when a guy likes a girl, he'll ask her out on a date."

"A date? Is that not a fruit that you grow on your planet; what does that have to do with human courting?"

It took Lennox a second to understand what he meant, before he realized he was mistaking the term 'date' for the little prune-like fruit. "No, no. It's different; asking someone _out_ on a date has nothing to do with the one that gets grown and eaten. Just the same type of word."

"Very well… What is the next ritual?"

"_Going_ on a date." Lennox laughed, "This is a little more complicated usually; but with Tessa I _really_ don't think you need to worry. Usually you'd take her to dinner, or a movie or something…it really just depends on the sort of people that are dating; humans have different interests…not unlike you guys, I suppose." He rubbed his head to try and quell his embarrassment at actually _having _this conversation with a centuries old Commander, "When you're on a date, usually you'd try to win her over by saying nice things; like maybe complimenting the outfit she's wearing, or the way she looks. You'd try to say something to her like 'you look really beautiful tonight' or-"

"But she always looks beautiful…?" Optimus said in a confused tone, his finger on his temple, "…I have seen stars that pale in comparison…"

Will had to near hold his breath to keep from actually laughing. _Holy crap_, he thought to himself, _the guys a __natural_!

"That's good! Something like that is perfect; knowing Tessa she'd probably blush like crazy though."

Optimus seemed to get a distant, far-away look on his face at the thought, "It's wonderful when she does that."

He laughed again, astounded by how easily Optimus would be able to charm a_ny_ female just with his honest observations, "Okay, ease up there Romeo; once you've taken her out the idea is that you take her back home and drop her off. Sometimes a girl will kiss you goodbye, some won't. It just depends on the girl."

Optimus shook his head, "I will not kiss her until she requests it of me."

A smile crossed the soldier's features, impressed by the way Optimus respected Tessa enough to wait for her undiverted consent. "You really don't have anything to worry about, you know. Tessa understands the situation, I'm sure; not to mention that you've got a natural talent with charm."

"…Charm?"

"Yeah, charm; you know, charismatic. If you just _say_ to Tess how it is that you feel; I have no doubt that she'll understand. Maybe you should just ask her?"

The massive bot clenched his first on his knee and looked up at the sky; the bathing sunlight making the colours on his metal shine valiantly, "I will confess that the idea of doing so…makes me nervous."

They sat in silence for a moment, Will's mind racing as he tried to find a solution. There had to be a way to do this easily; maybe find some way for him to walk Optimus through the…._wait_! A sudden idea struck him like a flash of lightning and he turned to the mech with an ingenious smile, "I have an idea; we could arrange a _group _date."

The leader gave him a sceptical, almost horrified look. "Humans court each other in _groups_? That's…so primitive."

Oh _God _he had to stop himself from laughing at that; he'd probably given the poor Autobt the image of some kind of group love-fest. "No, no, no! It's not what you think. A group date is basically several couples going out and doing something altogether. It's like an individual date; but with multiple couples. If I arranged for Epps and I to bring my wife and his, maybe even Sam and Mikaela, out for a night, it could give you an excuse to go with Tessa. Basically you'd be on a date; but we'd be there to back you up if you needed help. What do you say?"

There was another long pause from Optimus before he rubbed his face in an almost stressed manner, turning to the soldier with a nod, "I will do what it takes to do things right for her."

Lennox gave a grin as he slid off the storage crate, thumping Optimus' leg supportively. "Excellent. Okay, I'm going to see if I can try and arrange something; you just leave it with me. I'll see you later." He turned and headed back down the tarmac before the Autobot stopped him.

"Lennox, wait." The soldier in question turned and faced the mech as he stood up, twitching his fingers briefly before speaking again in a much lower, slightly more _embarrassed_ tone, "Thank you."

"No problem Optimus. I'll get it sorted."

With that, he nodded at the Prime with a smile and continued to walk back, reaching into his pocket as he did so. He pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through his contacts list; landing upon Sarah's number. Pressing dial, he raised it to his ear and waited. It only took several rings before he heard his wife's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hey baby," he greeted affectionately with a smile in his voice, "listen I wanted to ask you something."

There was a pause as he listened to Sarah reply, asking him what it was that he wanted to know. He smiled at the thought of poor Optimus and what he was in for.

"We don't have any plans for Saturday night, do we?"


	32. The Siren's Song

**AHAHAHAHAHA! OH PRIMUS THIS CHAPTER WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE! **

**I know that some of the reactions are a little bit extreme; but I wanted to take Tessa out of her comfort zone so that we could all be humoured at her expense! Let's face it; who could honestly tell me the last time she probably wore a dress? I just love that everyone is teasing her with their 'I-know-something-you-don't-know' attitude.**

**And poor Optimus ;D**

**By the way; I want to point out that Tessa is not depressed at all by mention of her Grandmother; she has nothing but fond memories and looks back on her death as a release for the woman (**_**She had cancer after all**_**) so don't go expecting her to be all mopey emo-a-saurus Mary-Sue over it.**

**Hope you guys get to have a nice good belly laugh at her expense hahahaha!**

"Wait, so…_why_ am I doing this exactly?"

A grin resounded from the radiant blonde standing in front of her, a cheeky look in her eyes, "Because, Tess; it was Will's idea for us to go out and celebrate tonight. We never got the chance to go out after they got back from Egypt, remember?"

The brunette scratched her head and looked up at Sarah with a sceptical look; he brow arched suspiciously. "Yeah, I know that already; I get that. But why do I have to wear a _dress_?"

Lennox and his wife had come over early, so that Sarah could help the grease monkey put together an outfit. Apparently it had been Sarah's idea, and Tess didn't mind so much really; she had met Sarah briefly a few times since her time at N.E.S.T and she enjoyed the woman's company. But what she w_asn't_ enjoying, was the beautiful mother of one helping her pick through everything she owned, looking for something 'dressy' enough. Needless to say, the mechanic didn't really have a lot of 'going out' clothes; she spent most of her free time either indoors watching DVDs, or out in the garage fixing cars. She could tell that Sarah was getting frustrated by her lack of wardrobe.

"You have to wear a dress, because I want to actually see you flaunt that pretty little figure that I just _know _you have hiding under there!" Sarah poked playfully at Tessa's tummy, making the ticklish grease monkey squeal from instinct; something she used to do in play-fights with her brothers, "Now show me what dresses you have."

Tess screwed up her face for a moment thoughtfully, mentally scrolling through what she had in her wardrobe, "You know…I'm not actually sure that I own one…" she placed a finger on her chin and began to mumble to herself under her breath, "Unless…maybe I've still got that one from…no, that's too short for me now…It's not-"

"-Short dress?" Sarah cut in excitedly, "Where do you keep it?"

Tess didn't like the look on the blonde's face; she resembled a child who was trying to play dress-up with her favourite doll, and she quickly waved one arm about in front of her, the other hand clutching the towel that she was currently wearing over her bra and underwear. "No, no, no! I bought it years ago; it was only a once of thing! It probably doesn't even _fit _anymore."

Mrs Lennox crossed her arms defiantly over her chest; with the look of a scolding mother written on her face. "Dress. Now." She ordered, pointing at Tessa's chest of drawers.

With a heavy, defeated sigh, she made her way over, not to the drawers, but her bed. She reached underneath and pulled out a flat, shallow crate with an assortment of neatly folded clothes, photo albums and scrapbooks. Reaching right to the back, she pulled out a piece of black fabric and gently pushed the box back under the bedframe. Shaking the fabric out, she revealed what looked to be a black dress. Sarah's grin was massive.

"Perfect."

Tessa really didn't like the cunning look on the other woman's face; she was actually _nervous_ about seeing what she was planning to do with her. She had been completely _honest_ in saying that she hadn't worn the dress in a long time; it had been bought for a special occasion years ago and was only worn once. She had been a little heavier at the time, so _hopefully_ she was able to squeeze into it; she knew that Sarah would probably try and force her into it anyway. With a sigh she held up the garment and eyed it with obvious scorn before motioning for the blonde to turn around and look away.

She did so with a big smile, waiting for Tessa to put on the dress.

Not seeing much choice, she did so, stepping into the black fabric. It took a little squeezing to actually get the dress _on_, but once she had it was relatively comfortable…if you called flashing most of the skin on your leg _comfortable _at all.

"Okay, it's on; you can turn around now…I just…need some help with the zipper." Tess mumbled uncertainly, not wanting to look at herself in the mirror all that much right now. She heard Sarah laugh excitedly, making her turn to face the blonde.

"Wow, Tess. That looks _perfect_!"

She snorted playfully, "Perfect for what? Picking people up off a corner? _God _I fell like a hooker right now."

Her new friend scoffed and spun the younger girl around so that she could do up the zip, Tessa having to suck in just a fraction before being able to release her breath, "Well you don't look it, I promise. Why don't you wear this dress; it looks wonderful?"

The smaller girl gave another heavy sigh, putting a hand on the front of the dress; trying to ignore the amount of skin it showed on her pale legs. "I told you before, I bought it for a special occasion years ago. It was so much _longer_ back then; I only wore it one time."

"Oh? Where to?"

"….My grandmother's funeral." She said simply, brushing some stray cotton off the hem of the dress.

Sarah's expression turned to one of horror, "Oh Tess; I'm so sorry! I didn't realize that it was a part of such a bad memory! I didn't mean-"

"-Relax, Sarah!" Tessa exclaimed quickly, placing a reassuring hand on the other woman's shoulder, "It's not that it gives me bad memories, it's not that at all! I just…put it away and forgot about it I guess. It's not the _dress_ itself that bothers me; it's the fact that it _is_ a dress." She grinned, subtly trying to tug down the hem of the dress uncomfortably before Sarah laughed and started to fiddle with the girl's auburn locks.

"Hey…do you have…straightening irons…?" she asked curiously, a cheeky grin crossing her face.

Tessa hesitated a little, unsure of where this torture was heading, "Y…..es?" she mewled nervously, "they're…in the bathroom…" As she had suspected, the blonde's face lit up and she ran to the bathroom, ignoring her husband as he tried to ask her what was going on. She'd replied with 'Nothing! Just girl stuff!' before shutting Tessa's door again behind her and holding the flat irons up in front of her; grinning wickedly.

"Now…let's do something about that hair."

-0-0-0-0-0-

It hadn't taken long for Epps and Monique to turn up at the door, greeted by a fidgeting Lennox, who had been waiting on Tess and Sarah all afternoon. Sam and Mikaela were currently on the way there; escorted by Bumblebee.

They had decided _not _to tell Tessa about Optimus joining them, wanting to make it a surprise for her; mostly because Epps and Lennox wanted to see her _reaction_ for their own amusement. Their excuse of "a night of celebration" for their return from Egypt had proved the perfect cover story, and Tessa hadn't hesitated to say yes.

They'd arranged to meet at the mechanic's house not only because she was the only one without a mode of transport, but because of Sarah's insistence to help the young girl pick out the _perfect_ thing to wear. They just hadn't expected to have to wait so _long_ for this so-called 'makeover' that Mrs Sarah Lennox had planned.

"Baby, are you two finished in there yet? Sam and Mikaela are here already!" Will called from the dining room table, a glass of soft drink sitting in front of him. The mechanic had told them right off the bat, 'My kitchen is your kitchen, just don't drink my juice' so they had helped themselves to a few refreshments while Sarah locked her away and dressed her like a little girl with a doll. Monique and Mikaela had gone in once or twice to help, and came out grinning and giggling both times; they were clearly enjoying poor Tessa's makeover more than she was.

This only served to make them all the more curious.

Finally, _finally_, footsteps were heard and Sarah came down the hall with a massive smile on her face, winking at the group who actually knew the ulterior motive of the night. "She's finished! Come on Tess, let's see!"

"…Do I have to…?" she responded from the room, making Sarah laugh at her embarrassment.

"Alright that's it," the blonde said in a jokingly exasperated tone, "I'm _dragging _you out of there if I have too!"

Mikaela; who was currently sharing a seat with Sam on his lap, cupped her hands over her mouth and called to her, "Don't forget you guys! We need to get ready to leave soon!"

All of the women laughed; making the men of the present company even more worried about the antics of the strange horde of females. However they heard a frustrated groan come from down the hall where Tessa's room was, which made them join in the laughter.

Sam leaned across the table to where Lennox and Epps were sitting before whispering quietly, "Where's Optimus? What time is he supposed to be getting here?"

Lennox and Epps looked to each other before Will checked the wristwatch on his left arm. "Well, it's nearly half past 7 now…he should be here any minute; Bumblebee is outside keeping watch. Hopefully if Sarah and the girls distract her, she won't hear him pull up."

Sam opened his mouth to ask another question, but Mikaela poked him in the ribs, warning him to be quiet as a set of unsteady steps made their way into the kitchen with Sarah.

A dolled up; furiously _blushing_ Tessa stopped awkwardly in the hallway, uneasy and uncomfortable with the number of people currently staring at her. She greatly disliked dressing up like this; it always made her feel self-conscious.

Sarah, Monique and Mikaela, however, had done a fantastic job of making her look perfect for the purpose of their 'group outing'. The black dress Sarah had talked her into was very simple, with spaghetti straps and a fairly modest v-shaped neckline and a plain zip up backing. The hem of the dress stopped just below her mid-thigh, but Tessa had stubbornly countered the lack of length by wearing a pair of black dress stockings underneath; covering the garishly inappropriate amount of skin. She wore no jewellery other than a simple silver chain baring a tiny, plain diamante pendant and a set of silver bangles on her left wrist; they had heard Sarah arguing with her earlier, trying to make her wear pearls.

Clearly Tessa had won.

The shoes were simple, just a pair of plain, low black heels; however it was clear that the normally steel-capped-boot-wearing mechanic was having some trouble getting used to them. After all, she very rarely (_if __ever_) wore anything like this. Her hair, having been straightened flat by Sarah, was left to fall free in its messy layers, stopping just above the small of her back. Make up was minimal; though this was probably more through _Tessa's _insistence than Sarah's.

"You look _awesome_." Mikaela grinned, meeting the older girl's eyes in a reassuring manner. Tessa, although still _blindingly_ uncomfortable with the situation, incoherently mumbled her thanks.

All of the other girls were dressed just as nicely as she was, and all of the men wore neat slacks and button-down dress shirts; but she was suspicious of the knowledge that she was currently _clearly_ the centre of attention. It was bothering her profusely.

"Can you all just…stop staring? _Please_?" she placed her hands together and made a begging motion, trying to quell her complete and utter mortification with the current situation. In respect, they all averted their eyes before Epps started to laugh at her embarrassment.

"You need to relax, kid. You look fine!"

She scoffed in an unladylike fashion before running her hands roughly through her now straight hair, checking the time on the microwave. "So…what exactly is the plan tonight?" she asked nervously.

"Dinner," Will answered, followed by Sarah's response.

"then we're going to the movies…" she grinned.

Sam then finished off the schedule, "and then Mikaela and I are going home, and _you _guys are going out for drinks. Seeing as we're underage; soldier boys over there won't let us drink."

Lennox scoffed at them, "You know it too kid. Don't complain."

This resulted in a round of laughter from the rest of the group; including Tessa, who was _more_ than happy to try and turn the attention onto someone other than herself. She looked over at Sarah, who was holding her purse; then she sidled over precariously in her heels to take it off her hands with a thank you.

"Well, since I've been kidnapped and forced to wear clothing that I would rather see burn at the stake; we might as well get going, right?" she said with her usual cheeky grin, trying _desperately_ to ignore the burning blush on her cheekbones.

"Uh-no wait!" Will called, standing up from his seat a little _too_ quickly to be inconspicuous. Tessa arched and eyebrow and gave him a confused, suss look.

"Wh…why? Is something wrong?" she asked.

Lennox's eyes shifted desperately; looking for something to say in response. "Well, uh…I-I think we're still waiting on someone."

"…Waiting? But…" Tessa looked around at the present company, "…everyone that you said was coming is _here_ already…"

The soldier in front of her fiddled with his shirt, looking at his wife for guidance; but she couldn't think of anything to smooth over his almost-blown-cover. This in and of itself made the little brunette suspiciously furrow her eyebrows at her friends; looking from one to the other and back again.

"You guys…wanna tell me what's going on…?" she questioned, noticing that none of them were currently making eye contact with her, "…What is everyone hiding fro-?"

There was a sharp, strong knock at her front door, and she looked at them all suspiciously.

"Who's at the door?" she asked them.

A few of them shrugged before Epps grinned at her, "Well, it's your house Tess. Why don't _you_ go and answer the door?"

Her mouth hung open in shock, a little miffed that there was something _absolutely_ and _undoubtedly_ going on behind her back tonight. Deciding to question them later, she gave a heavy sigh and went to the front door. Unbeknownst to her, there were six sets of eyes following her up the hall to spy; just _waiting_ for her reaction.

"This had better be good!" she called to whoever the surprise guest was, yanking the jamming door open with a vengeance. To her surprise, a tall, smartly dressed man in his early to mid-thirties, with dark blue-black hair and a trimmed goatee-beard looked up from his feet in a startled manner; his eyes wide in shock as he took in her appearance.

His bright, glowing blue eyes…

Her jaw hung slack open as she looked up at him, looking over his shoulder to the massive, custom Peterbilt parked in her driveway next to the yellow Camaro.

"O…Optimus…?" _It can't be…he's at my door; now…? While I'm dressed like…Wh-while I'm wearing…THIS_? Suddenly her expression grew to one of horror as her face flashed neon scarlet and her eyes snapped down to the outfit she'd been wrangled into for the evening; and _Optimus_ was at her _door_?

A mortified scream ripped its way from her throat, making the Holoform in front of her snap his eyes to her in concern and alarm, not understanding her reaction; Lennox hadn't explained this to him, was this normal? However he didn't have time to calm the situation, because Tessa was out of her mind with embarrassment and didn't know what it was she could do; even she didn't know why she did what she did next.

In a panic, she slammed the door in his face.


	33. She Don't Want The World

**HOLY CRAP LONG CHAPTER IS **_**LONG**_**!**

**I apologize for poor Tessa slamming the door in OP's face in the last chapter, but let's face it; would Tessa really be **_**our**_** Tessa if she reacted normally? You all know she wouldn't be ;)**

**Anywho, this chapter is a whole 7 PAGES in Microsoft Word, normally the chapters are about 4! So consider it a treat hahaha. I can assure you all that this chapter will ABSOLUTELY make up for Tess slamming the door on poor Optimus.**

**I so desperately hope you enjoy it :)**

"Tessa?" came Lennox's voice as he raced up the hallway after hearing her scream, "Are you okay?"

The girl in question was backed up against the wall opposite her front door; her eyes as wide as dinner plates and her face as red as a tomato with sunburn. "I-I-" she had to pause in between her stuttering before looking down at what she was wearing and gripping the wall behind her in a panic, "I need to go change!"

Lennox placed his hands on her shoulders and got her to look at him, "No; Tess listen to me, go into the dining room and sit down. You'll be fine."

Her eyes darted violently to the door, her embarrassment writhing in her chest. She didn't even dress like this for special occasions, and _Optimus Prime_ had seen her! Her head was throbbing from the sudden stress, "But-!"

"It's okay. Go and sit with Sarah, she'll explain everything. Go."

He pried her away from the wall and gently pushed her towards the kitchen before turning to the door that had just been slammed.

-0-0-0-0-0-

On the other side of the door, Optimus Prime was in a state of shock.

Lennox had not warned him about something like this, was Tessa's reaction normal; expected? Had he done something _wrong_? A shaking, almost whining noise came from behind him, and as his Holoform turned he realized that it was Bumblebee in his Alt mode that was trembling in the driveway. He was _laughing_ at him. Which meant that clearly Tessa's response was not supposed to happen; he'd _obviously _done something he wasn't supposed to.

Maybe it was the fact that he'd been distracted by the way she _looked_? But how in the name of Primus had he been supposed to not stare? Human diversity was truly _astounding_; he'd had no idea that changing the texture of their hair or the function of their clothing could have such complimenting effects. She had looked…_incomparable_… The sort of magnificence that would have a Cybertronian plucking stars from the sky just to name them after her. He felt the Spark in his truck from swell with an unusual feeling; a desire to claim.

Before he could assess the possessiveness that jolted through him, the door opened again to reveal Lennox, his expression amused but apologetic.

"Sorry about that Optimus…We uh…didn't tell her you were coming tonight; it was a surprise."

_So __that __was why she reacted so uncharacteristically_, Optimus thought to himself with relief, _she was simply startled_…

"I confess, she did seem…surprised…" he gave a deep sigh and placed his forehead in his hand, massaging the Holoform's temples in a frustrated manner. "I'm confused, did I…do something wrong?"

Lennox looked up at the taller man, still in awe of the complexity the Holoform had. It was the perfect physical encompassment of Prime himself; he just didn't get to see it very often, because Optimus had no _need_ to use it around he and the other soldiers. Tessa was different, he'd seen the gentle, tender interactions between the robot and the mechanic and he had no doubt that the Holoform allowed them more human interactions. But as he'd recalled Optimus saying, he'd clearly not yet actually _kissed_ Tessa.

"You didn't do anything wrong," he explained, gesturing for the leader to make his way inside the house, "she's just…embarrassed with the way Sarah and the other girls dressed her up. I doubt she's used to all this… Come on into the dining room; Sarah's explaining everything to her."

Optimus stepped into the hallway, listening to the collective sound of voices at the end of the corridor; trying to find Tessa's. As he entered the room behind Lennox, he saw her sitting nervously on the other side of the dining room table. When she saw him, she stood up quickly from her chair and hastily made her way over to him; arms rose in a surrendering apology.

"Chief I-look I'm so sorry that slammed the door on you-I mean, I didn't mean to-"

He cut her off by simply raising one finger, his unquestionable ability as a natural leader stunning her. He lowered his hand to place it on her shoulder, his neon eyes burning intensely into hers as he observed her in much more detail than before.

"You…look wonderful." He said slowly, sounding cautious in the compliment. He was clearly unnerved by the evening's events, and she regretted having reacted the way that she had. She looked down in embarrassment, trying to ignore the burn on her face that had become so damn _frequent_ when he was around. Instead, she tried to return his compliment with one of her own; focusing on him instead of herself.

"And you look…wow…" _Oh wonderful Tess, you sound so intelligent right about now with your single syllable words_. She could have face-palmed herself for that… "Where did you…get those _clothes_?" she asked him.

Lennox had told him to dress _nice_, so he had; after the soldier had showed him samples of what it was he was _supposed_ to wear. He was wearing a pair of gunmetal grey dress pants, a pair of black dress shoes and a navy blue, long sleeve button up shirt with subtly printed dark red flames snaking up the arms. On the left breast pocket of the shirt was the symbol of the Autobots printed subtly in fine grey lining. Tess shook her head furiously at herself.

"I will presume that…is a good thing?" he asked concernedly, looking down awkwardly at the Holoform's attire, "Major Lennox assisted me with the appearance I was supposed to take with this form, I can create the clothing, but I was unsure of…of what I should…"

As he trailed off awkwardly, Tess shot Will an annoyed, dirty look who in return sent her an 'I'm-sorry-please-don't-kill-me' grin, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. A brief, uncomfortable silence ensued before Tessa decided that since she was already in the deep end, she might as well start treading water. Pressing a hand gently onto the Holoform's chest, she looked him right in the eyes; the Prime noticed that her blush had faded a little with its recovery from her embarrassment.

"It looks great, Chief; absolutely handsome." She smiled, playing timidly with the collar of the shirt before her gaze hardened and she turned to the rest of the company, "as for _you_ two," she said, pointing accusingly at Epps and Lennox, "you've got some serious _explaining _to do to me…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

Once the situation had been smoothed over and Tessa had been talked out of trying to change her feminine clothes, they had managed to take off to the first step of their evening. Sam and Mikaela rode in Bumblebee, Tessa with Optimus, with Epps and Monique carpooling in the Lennox's family vehicle.

Dinner had proved to be incredibly interesting, to say the least.

Bumblebee had waited outside; happily parked behind a little red Mini Cooper outside the restaurant; making Tess giggle at the cute way the Autobot sidled up behind it, honking appreciatively. She knew from her outing with Ironhide that Optimus' Holoform would not be able to ingest anything that couldn't be used as 'fuel' so as he was about to politely refuse the waitress; the little mechanic placed a hand on his arm and smiled reassuringly at him. She'd ordered him a straight scotch and lemon vodka for herself.

Food, he could not ingest; but water and alcohol, he could.

Conversation flowed freely and easily throughout the meal, and Tess and Mikaela hit it off wonderfully as soon as occupations came up. The two engine-heads started on a stringent of cars they had repaired, what their favourite motors were, ideal car brands and what their first cars had been; almost forgetting that they were in the company of other people. The mechanic found the stunning teenager to be delightfully intelligent conversation and as soon as Mikaela found out that she was working on the run down Valiant; she'd _immediately_ offered to help her with it.

They kept the time at the restaurant fairly brief, mostly because they hadn't wanted to leave Optimus out by not having a meal of his own; the food of the evening had been for the purpose of the humans' nutrition more so than a date scene. However halfway through the dinner, Sarah had gotten Lennox's attention and gestured to Tessa's free hand that had been discreetly tucked in to Optimus' while she ate her meal.

The little mechanic in question had to admit that despite her earlier mortification at having the Prime see her dressed as she was; she was currently enjoying herself very much. Optimus had been sitting rigidly and calmly, as he was probably trained to do through years of practice; but that just wouldn't do. She'd whispered his name and twined her fingers delicately in his own as his hand rested on the table with a smile, reassuring him.

It was an unusual territory for her as well, because in most of her previous relationships it had been her male counterparts who had been the dominant force in the courtship; it was both frightening and strangely exciting to be the one making the advances. Optimus knew nothing of these things, and so _she_ would have to teach him.

Not that she minded the idea…

After everyone had finished their meal, they'd commuted to the next part of the outing. She'd nearly died laughing when they rolled into a Drive-In movie; it was so _old-school_, but in all honestly she supposed she should have expected it. How _else_ had they planned on parking the massively conspicuous Peterbilt somewhere to watch a movie? The thought made her smile.

After everyone had received their in-car speakers, they'd found their places amongst the other parked vehicles. Optimus had been asked by the staff to park at the back, considering that any people in the cars located behind them would have been unable to see the movie. Bumblebee was a little ways in front of them with Sam and Mikaela, and both the Epps and Lennox couples were parked on the left hand side of the truck.

Tessa had been _delighted_ to see that the movie they were watching was Ironman; a movie she'd enjoyed mostly for the concept of the technological advancements, even if they _were_ only fictional. Halfway through the movie, she realized that Optimus was watching her from the driver's seat with an expression of observant interest in his neon blue eyes; making her turn to him with look of confusion written on her face.

"Chief? Is everything okay?" she asked worriedly, knitting her eyebrows in concern.

The Autobot in question shook his head slowly before he answered, "He reminds me of you…the man in the film."

Her eyes widened a little in surprise, darting to the screen before looking back at him, "He…he does?"

Optimus nodded in response, "Yes. This…Tony Stark character, his intellect in machinery; it reminds me of you…" the little female felt her cheeks blossom a little bit at his compliment and he secretly delighted in the colour that prickled into her face. However to his surprise she flashed him a cheeky grin.

"You know, I was actually thinking he reminded me of _you_."

It was the Prime's turn to be surprised, but he maintained his calm demeanour; curious to see what it was she would say, "Is that so? How exactly…?"

The brunette slid over gently on her seat, taking his hand in her own as she pressed her shoulder against his chest, taking note of the fact that although he was made of flesh; it felt as though he still retained the hard sturdiness of metal just beneath the surface.

It was more comforting than anything she'd ever felt.

"He reminds me…" she said cheekily, leaning her head up against his shoulder to look up at him, "…of a certain _other_ metal man that I know…" with a slight smile, she cautiously lifted her hand from his so that she could use her fingers to play with the facial hair along his jaw; her other hand resting innocently on his knee, "except that mine is _much _more unique."

He smiled tenderly at this remark, but he felt his Holoform's breath hitch in his chest as her fingers tucked softly under his chin; her eyes intensely focused on his in the close proximity. She was pressed so closely against him that he could feel her every exhalation against his throat, and sweet _Primus_ he had to fight the urge to close the distance between them.

_Not until she requests it of me_…he thought harshly, _she must be ready for that sort of step_.

But…she was watching him now with a soft smile on her face, leaning in just that little bit further until her face was tucked fittingly beneath his chin. Very softly, she dragged her slightly chapped lips across the skin of his throat, revelling in the chance to actually feel it beneath (_or by all technicalities, __above_) them. She pressed her mouth against him to plant a kiss on his jugular, noticing that instead of the pulse a heartbeat produced, it was more like a consistent hum under the flesh; obviously produced by the Energon that was the Cybertronian equivalent of blood. She was so distracted by her own observations that she didn't notice the heavy, almost strangled breath that clawed its way up Optimus' throat, his hand shooting up to gently grasp the wrist of the hand that rested on his leg; slightly unnerved and panicked in his actions.

She leaned back a little, a worried look on her face as she regarded him, "Chief? Are you alrigh-?"

"-You must stop…" he murmured, an almost pleading tone in his voice as he cupped her chin tenderly, "Before _I_…cannot."

Tessa's eyes were confused for a moment, before a sharp flash of red shot across the bridge of her nose in understanding, "Oh…_Oh_ my God! Optimus, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-!" she cut herself off by clasping a hand over her mouth, trying to supress an embarrassed laugh, "Are you…okay?"

With a heavy sigh, he tenderly ran a finger through her straightened hair and smiled; a little more composed now that he was able to _think_ properly without the distraction of her mouth upon his Holoform's throat. "I am…fine," he said quietly before reaching for her so that he could pull her against his chest; cuddling her innocently as he turned to face the windshield, "but _you_…are very _distracting_…"

She smiled to herself at his words, snuggling under his arm so that they could continue to watch the movie together.

"Yeah well…so are you, Chief. Right from my very first day at N.E.S.T…"

"Oh really?" he asked with an amused twitch of his lip; not removing his gaze from the screen in front of them. Tessa grinned up at him, knowing that he could probably still see her in the truck's rear-view mirror anyway.

She maintained that cheeky, mischievous little smirk before she answered, "You had me at Peterbilt..."

-0-0-0-0-0-

In the final stretch of the evening, Sam and Mikaela bid goodbye to the 'adults' of the group; Tessa taking some time to tenderly pat Bumblebee's hood in a farewell, which made the Camaro shake like a puppy wagging its tail. She and Mikaela made plans to work on Tessa's Valiant within the next few weeks before the yellow Autobot then drove away as the two teens bid the others a good night.

If Optimus had found Tessa distracting _before_…his restraint was going to be tested to the _maximum_ now.

The oblivious little mechanic loved to dance. She wasn't particularly skilled at it, but she just loved responding to music; it had always been something she'd enjoyed as a child. In fact, there was many-a-home-video that she had starred in as a teenager; her brothers having developed a habit of filming her ridiculous bedroom tirades when she'd gone through that a_wful_ Backstreet Boys obsession.

Now that she was older and her music taste more civilized, her love of dancing like an idiot was a little more hidden; such as tonight whilst she was in public company. Instead of waving her arms over her head like a rocker on a sugar-high, she kept her hands close to her shoulders; simply bending her elbows in a more subtle version of the gesture. And rather than jumping around like an amateur break-dancer having a seizure; she instead made soft moves with her hips, following the beat of the music in the air. She danced mostly with Monique and Sarah, the three of them feeding off of each other's humour and laughing when they did something silly; making the two N.E.S.T soldiers usually laugh with them.

Drinks were ordered several times from the bar, and Optimus (_whose eyes never left Tessa for a moment_) noticed that she had a habit of either ordering things for herself that were either non-alcoholic, or very weak in their concentration and this made him feel a strange sense of pride towards her; she was sensible.

Her sobriety, however, did not stop human males from attempting to court her; a fact that made Optimus' Spark tremble violently with protective rage each and every time they displayed a risqué interest. It was a foreign emotion for him to feel; but it was in his nature.

Cybertronians were naturally inclined to defend those they cared for; especially those who they bore 'interest' in. Although Tessa had not outright claimed that she was his, the Autobot's Spark had seemed to decide all on its own that she was; despite his mental processors logical reasoning. Her constant dismissal and refusal of each and every human male that approached her only solidified this belief. It was an imbedded and almost primal desire to protect her that he felt.

However it was when one particularly self-confident young man laid hands on her hips, trying to dance with her; that he felt his Holoform's hair stand on end. Optimus Prime was not one to become enraged, but the way this male disrespected her personal space was _certainly _irritating him beyond logical reason. Was this what humans referred to as jealousy? Lennox had mentioned it only briefly before, but he had never expected it to feel like this.

Optimus wove his way in between people who were dancing or drinking, ignoring Epps' questioning of where he was going. His eyes were focused on Tessa, who was trying to shove her unwanted companion away from her; and the male who was too intoxicated to _get it_.

He reached for the human's wrist, his other hand gently guiding Tessa behind him; using his own body as a wall between the girl and her assailant. His eyes, which were glowing in the darkness of the dance club, zeroed in harshly on the drunken man who had disrespected her.

"Do not _touch_ her." He said. His voice was calm and deep, but the harsh edge to his voice was actually _terrifying_ enough to make the human's eyes widen in surprise.

"Whoa, whoa; chill out man. I just wanted a dance!" he retorted, breaking from Optimus' grip and backing up a step or two, "She's all yours dude."

The spineless human raised his arms in surrender and left with a cocky scoff; obviously to find an easier conquest. Optimus suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and he was brought back from his confusingly sudden anger, seeing Tessa's face looking up at him.

"…Thank you." She called over the music with a smile, sliding her hand down from his shoulder to interlock her fingers with his, "You know…I haven't seen you dance all night…"

He felt his Spark hum warmly, obviously it was pleased to have her so close. He ignored it as he answered her, "I have never tried…"

This answer brought a playful grin to her lips, her eyes sparkling cheekily as they did when she was working on an intriguing piece of machinery, "Well then, let me be the first to teach you…" she said quickly, pulling at his hand to lead him towards where Will and Epps were both dancing with their wives. He looked around him at the multitude of people who were all doing unique and non-choreographed moves and then to Tessa, who smiled up at him expectantly.

Who was he to refuse her?

-0-0-0-0-0-

At Sarah and Monique's insistence, they had all parted ways at the club; leaving Optimus to drive Tessa home, just the two of them. It had been a silent, simple and long drive back to her house.

And she couldn't have enjoyed it more if she'd tried.

Optimus' Holoform had wrapped his arm around her shoulders, both his body and the spare blanket of the truck's cabin helping to keep her warm against the night time chill. He would have gladly given her a jacket to wear throughout the evening had he known that she was cold at any point; but he was unable to in any case. Even if his Holoform _had_ been wearing a jacket, it would have disintegrated the second it left his body; after all the clothing was simply an extension of the Holoform itself. It was not real.

As they pulled in to Tessa's driveway, she disentangled herself from his arm, picked her 'satanic black' heeled shoes from the floor and neatly rolling up the blanket from around her shoulders before placing it in the cabin at the back. She smiled as she looked at him before pointing a thumb at her house.

"Walk me to my door, Chief?" she asked, itching the back of her neck tiredly. Optimus simply nodded in response before climbing down the side of his Peterbilt form. He expected to follow behind her, but to his surprise she came around the side of the truck and walked beside him; twining her fingers into his as they approached her house, her shoes and her clutch in the other hand.

Climbing the creaky, wooden stairs slowly, she placed the shoes on the ground, pulled her keys out of the little purse and jingled them playfully in her hand before turning to him with her trademark grin.

"I had a lot of fun tonight. I'm glad you were there…even if I _did_ nearly die of embarrassment from your surprise début."

He gave a deep, rumbling chuckle; the image of her screaming and panicking would be an unforgettable source of amusement for centuries to come, "I believe the door in my face was punishment enough, do you not?"

Her grin faltered a little and she flushed pink before it returned, "Yeah…sorry about that. I guess I sort of freaked out," she laughed, "next time; let's make it just the _two_ of us, okay? I have to admit, Chief; you scrubbed up _very_ nicely tonight."

"…Scrubbed…?"

Tess giggled at him, "It means presented. You polish up; you know, like a nice finish on a car…understand?"

A smile escaped him as he nodded, "Yes, I do. I might point out that you presented an incredibly 'nice finish' as well…"

There was a brief pause in the light-hearted conversation as she turned the key in the lock and forced the door open; mentally reminding herself that she needed to get that jamming problem _fixed_. Turning to Optimus, she smiled at him softly, but was surprised to find that he was looking out over her lawn; staring at the stars with a troubled expression before he closed his eyes and spoke, deeply exhaling as he did so.

"…To my knowledge, I understand that it is…_customary_ for one in my position to kiss you good night…but I...it _isn't_ that I don't want to…but…" he trailed off worriedly, hoping to Primus that he wasn't doing something _wrong _by breaking this human tradition. A hand over where a heart _should_ have been in the Holoform caused him to turn with surprised expression; seeing Tessa's fingers resting against the fabric of his shirt. She was shaking her head with an endearing chuckle.

"It's okay, Chief…I know," she whispered, drawing her fingers up to slide underneath his chin; feeling a little braver knowing that for once in her life, _she_ was the more experienced one in a relationship. She turned his jaw to face her as she continued, "we aren't there yet…"

With her hand still traced underneath his chin, she stretched up on her tippy toes and planted a gentle; thankful kiss to his Holoforms cheek as his arms encircled her waist; holding her closely in an endearingly innocent gesture. Then she pulled slowly away from him and held his face in her hands; encouraging him to look her dead in the eye.

"…But one day we will be."

Tracing her finger gently over his lips, she marvelled in the sensation for just a brief second before she clasped his face softly and released him. She retrieved her shoes from next to the wall and headed into her house; pausing and resting on the doorframe as she made eye contact with him, smiling languidly.

"Good night, Optimus Prime." She murmured contentedly to him.

He dipped his head respectfully like a gentleman from a Victorian romance film (_probably one he'd found on the internet_) with a content smile of his own, "Good night, Tessa Jackson."

Then with that the Holoform softly disintegrated into thousands of those fascinating electrical sparks before the Peterbilt rumbled to life and backed out of her driveway. She didn't take her eyes off it until he was completely out of sight and off through the darkness. Exhaling a dreamy sigh, she closed the front door behind her, tossing her shoes into the corner of the hallway to deal with in the morning. Pressing her back against the wood, she closed her eyes halfway and pressed her fingers to her lips; the same one she'd use to trace Optimus' own. With a smile she felt herself blush, a fleeting thought crossing her mind as she wondered how it would feel when they _actually_ kissed.

She was bound to have some wonderful dreams tonight…


	34. Far Away

**W00t! Next chapter is heeeerrreeeeee :)**

**So basically, this one is sort of just a filler; but at least it's a slightly fluffy filler! There's also a little bit more in depth detail as to how Optimus' Spark feels about the Prime's emotions towards Tessa. It's sort of like "intelligent, mental logic versus primal, million-year-old instinct" hehehe.**

**You know what I mean; Head vs Heart situation.**

**Anyhow, enjoy the chapter my wonderful readers!**

Tessa had been excited to get back to N.E.S.T, as in: actually _excited_.

Not only because she internally cherished the prospect of being able to see Optimus, but because she'd finished both Ironhide and Jolt's new weapons just before the weekend; however she'd not yet had time to fit them to their bodies. That had been her agenda for the day, and her fingers had been absolutely itching to get it done all weekend. Graham had been the one to pick her up for work that morning, and on the way to the base he had informed her that he'd used some of the movie vouchers she'd given him for a date. She felt relieved that he was getting some joy from her seemingly generic gift.

Tess was currently in the medical bay with a cutting torch in her hand and the welding mask on top of her head; her forehead perspiring and her muscles aching a little. She had required Ratchet's assistance to complete the task, and as she'd watched him work she had taken as many detailed notes as she could. The little mechanic had been so engrossed in thoroughly completing her task, that she had failed to notice the way Ratchet had been observing her with scrutinizing interest.

_Her grasp of Cybertronian technology is getting better_, he thought to himself. As he watched her weld together the plating of Jolt's arm, he noted the way her book was filled with scribbled notes, diagrams and coloured tab tags, he suddenly felt it was a shame that she hadn't been born a Cybertronian. Not only would it then have made hers and Optimus' relationship much simpler, but she'd have easily excelled as one of their medics.

He suspected that with a few more years studying the way they worked, she could easily be on the same par as himself.

"Okay, Jolt; you're done." Tessa said with a smile.

The blue Chevrolet swung the legs of his bipedal form over the gurney and experimentally flexed the joints in his arms. She had decided to install the water weapon, which she had finally termed 'Jet Preps' into _both_ of his wrists instead of just his dominant hand. She'd explained that if he were in battle and lost the use of one hand; this way there would always be a back up.

Needless to say, Jolt had been more than happy with her logic. Although the two of them weren't what you would call _friends_, they at least bore a mutual respect for one another. He acknowledged her as a comrade and the mechanic who kept them in fighting form; and she respected him for his ability to protect her race, someone that she could entrust her life to.

"Well?" she prompted, "Go to the firing range and test it out. Oh, and when you get there; tell Ironhide that it's his turn!"

Tessa playfully turned the cutting torch on and off with the childishly evil grin she liked to wear when she was feeling playful. The blue Autobot gave the closest thing to a smirk that his substance matter would allow, before nodding and exiting the medical bay. When he was gone, the mechanic exhaled tiredly before pulling off her welding gloves, tossing the confining spark-safe mask onto the now empty gurney. She ran a hand through her damp, sweaty hair before untying it, bunching it tightly and rebinding it into its elastic; hopping up onto the berth so that she could dangle her feet over the side.

"You should take a rest you know." Ratchet said calmly.

Turning her head up to look at him as he arranged his tools, she shot him a grin, "Don't be silly, Ratch. I'm fine!"

"That wasn't exactly a simple operation," he responded sternly, crossing his arms the way a parent would to a disobedient or defiant child. He couldn't help but see Tessa as a little bit of both, "you shouldn't push yourself. After all; your human limitations do not permit you the same strength reserves as us."

She scoffed in a mocking, slightly offended tone before she answered him, "I may be only human to you guys Ratchet…but this is my _job_. I know my limits."

"I hate to think of you as misinformed, but _that_ tells me otherwise."

He pointed at her arm, the finger hovering over the still slightly pink, healing scar that decorated it. The little female's eyes darted to the marking, and he noticed that her eyes darkened a little when looking at it; an interesting trait in humans that he'd discovered usually happened when they were angry or depressed. Before he could dwell on it too much longer, he realized that she was speaking to him; more like mumbling actually.

"That…was a momentary lapse of judgement…" she murmured, running her hand over her arm and scowled at the mark before looking up at him with a defeated look, "I was stupid….alright you win. I'll take five."

Ratchet gave an approving nod before she perked up, a sudden thought hitting her.

"Oh! But…I told Jolt to get-"

He raised a hand authoritively, pausing her little tirade before it began, "I will begin the procedure; Ironhide will still need to be prepped, and _after_ you've had a break I will call you back to the bay when we're ready to begin."

"….Just promise you won't install the blade without me?"

The hot-tempered old mech scoffed at her, "The machete is _your_ design, Tessa; remember? _You_ need to install it."

The girl flushed red, realizing her mistake; she spent so much time learning from Ratchet that she'd forgotten that the design for Ironhide was something she had done without him. "…Oh yeah…" she laughed, scratching the back of her head awkwardly, "Anyway, I'm going to take a walk. So I'll see you soon."

He waved her away casually as one would a pestering bug, waiting for her to leave.

While she would probably never admit it to the serious old medic, she enjoyed the dysfunctional teacher-mentor relationship they shared. His firm guidance and fearless reprimands kept her in line and prevented her capabilities from going to her head; because he always had something that she still needed to learn. Tess was no scholar, but the way Ratchet explained things with his "learn-fast-or-get-out" manner kept her on her toes; it _challenged_ her.

Once she was outside the hangar, the fresh afternoon air hit her like…well…a breath of fresh air really. The sweat that lingered in her hair and on the back of her neck cooled rapidly in the wind and she closed her eyes in a state of bliss; pulling her hair out of it tie and letting it cascade into the breeze. She ran her hands through it and tousled it carelessly as she held it high, allowing the wind to rush through the mass of soft waves. So engrossed in her relief of the sweat caused by the welding, she failed to hear as a set of hydraulic whirring legs strode up behind her and stopped.

Optimus Prime stood watching her with curious interest; intrigued by the incredibly human action.

He had to admit, it had been very difficult not to think about her after the evening they'd spent together; she occupied most of his thoughts when he wasn't planning strategies for his team's missions. It was a certain feeling of emptiness that he felt when she was gone; something that he'd noticed his Spark amplifying of late. It could almost be considered being of two frames of mind.

Optimus with his cool logic and literal ability to reason the situation; and his Spark, which seemed to feel dominant and protective of Tessa, almost in a primal sense. It was a pulling feeling that constantly tried to dominate his mind, almost a _yearning_ in a sense. As he sifted through his own emotions, trying to separate his mental frame of mind from his Spark's instinct; he heard her laugh, a sound that snapped his attention back to the girl in question.

Her eyes were still closed, her arms raised above her head as she lifted her hair in the wind. The copper-brown locks spilled in a messy, tangled fashion and her skin bore faint traces of perspiration; her clothes sweaty, oil-stained and wrinkled from labour.

He thought she looked exquisite.

That thought in and of itself was dangerous, he realized. It was hard enough to try and restraint his desire to kiss her (_an incredibly and strangely __human__ act for him to yearn for_) without her looking so…_her_. Deciding to try and distract himself with her conversation rather than his own thoughts, he squatted down beside her, his elbows resting on his knees before he raised a finger and gently poked her in the back; an amused smile surfacing when she reacted with a near epileptic spasm.

Her wide eyes lit up when she realized who it was that had 'attacked' her during her blissful stretch in the breeze. "Hey there stranger," she smiled, taking a few steps towards him with her hands on her hips as she looked up at him, "haven't seen you all day. How've you been?"

He still casually leaned on his knees as he regarded her with obvious interest before he lowered one of his hands finally moved to sit palm up on the ground.

"I am well," he said simply, "but I missed you while you were not here. Since…the night at the week's end…I will confess that it has been difficult not to think of you; is this…uncommon?"

Tessa gave a laugh and moved to sit cross-legged in his palm as he rose, drawing her in protectively to his chest plating.

"No; not at all, Chief! It's perfectly normal; in fact I probably would have been offended if you _didn't_ think of me." She grinned, nudging his semi-curled fingers playfully. He nodded in response to her answer, obviously somewhat reassured by the confirmation. But then he asked another question.

"And what of you, in regard to myself?" he queried.

A small smile played on her lips as she felt her cheeks go a little red at the question, but in her usual habit of honesty; she got to her feet without losing the upturn of her lips. She braced herself by gripping one of the protruding chunks of metal on his chassis before reaching a hand up towards the gap between his chest plates; not breaking eye-to-optic contact with him once.

"You should already know by know, Optimus…" she murmured to him gently. Tracing her fingers gently around the seams in the metal for a brief second, she then delved her fingers into the gap before lightly lifting the chain that still hung there; the tiny cross pendant resting fondly on her fingers where he could see it. "You're _always_ in my thoughts…"

At her words, he felt his Spark hum in a higher pitch; obviously content with her close proximity. He noticed her eyes flicker from his optics, down to his chest that the noise had originated from with a curious expression.

"…What…was that?" she asked, looking back up at him with a genuine interest.

He looked down at her with an endearing fondness. It was something he'd always enjoyed about her company; her inability to disguise ulterior motives and simply _ask_ the questions she truly wanted. She did not try to be subtle or underhanded; the questions she asked were the ones she wanted to know the answer to.

"My Spark." He replied simply; observing her fingers as they fiddled with the chain between his chest plates before she placed it gently back against the now audibly humming metal. She noticed how warm the sheeting was underneath her fingertips, making her all the more curious.

Tessa smiled up at him softly. "That's…an Autobot's heart, right?" he nodded in response before she continued, "Why is it making that noise; and why…is it making the metal so warm? Did I do something wrong…?"

A slight chuckle escaped his vocal processor at the irony of her questioning. It couldn't have been further from the truth.

"Absolutely not," he assured her firmly, "quite the opposite in fact. It reacts to your proximity because…it senses your importance…."

The little mechanic appeared confused, flopping back down onto the palm of his hand to sit cross-legged again; her eyes watching him with the curiosity of a child. "My…importance? I don't understand what-?"

"-your importance to _me_." Optimus finished, trying to quell the bizarre feeling of…was it _embarrassment_…? Instead of dwelling on it, he decided to try and keep his explanation professional, rehearsed; as if explaining the topic to a Sparkling. "A Spark reacts to the strong emotions of a Cybertronian, but it reacts in a far more instinctual way. When we feel a noticeable pull towards another, it wants to…for lack of a better term…_claim_ them."

"C-Claim…?" Tess choked, not sure she'd heard correctly, but the thought actually made her blush a little. Optimus looked a little bit uncomfortable at that point in time, but he continued in the hopes that it would clear her curiosity.

"Yes. Claim. I use the term loosely, because that does not completely encompass what it means. When a Spark feels one that it is drawn to, it is a desire to protect…to watch over. I am not entirely certain how this would affect you, being a human; but in a fellow Cybertronian their Spark would also have…a s_ay_ in the instinct. Under normal circumstances, if the Spark's desire is reciprocated, both of them feel its pull; however if the feelings are _not_ returned, it will shut off its current conquest until another possibility of a mate is raised. My Spark is experiencing that pull…it senses your present and…it _wants _you. But because you are human…I do not know if you have the capability to shut down my Spark's desire to…" he cringed at the way said the word, "…_claim_ you…"

His words hung heavy from his lips, worried that she may feel forced or obligated at his terminology; after all Cybertronians were an intense, fiercely loyal race that loved deeply and easily. Humans were far more skittish and prone to self-doubt when it came to matters concerning their own hearts.

However before she could answer or he could say anything to smooth over the intensity he had just dished out to her, the speakers over the base crackled and Ratchet's voice rang out through the air.

"_Tessa Jackson to medical bay one; your patient is waiting._"

The speakers fizzled out as the transmission was shut, before they crackled violently to life and Ironhide's voice was heard over them instead of the medic's.

"_And make it quick! I have training dummies with that blade name on it; move that fleshy aft of yours, Squishy!_"

The mechanic couldn't hold in a bellowing laugh that gleamed with mirth at her amusement. Optimus looked down at her, a little disappointed that the topic had now been averted; he still hadn't been able to try and reassure her that he was taking things _slow_ for her, even if it meant having to fight his own Spark's instinct.

"I had best let you return to your duties." He said softly, gently lowering himself back to the ground so that he could place her safely on the concrete, "I will see you soon."

She gave a nod and turned to head towards the medical bay, but slowed after a few steps before stopping and spinning around languidly, thoughtful in her expression. Tess made her way back over to Optimus, who was still bent down with his arms rested on his knees. She was still mulling over what he had said; and there was something she wanted to make known, no matter how embarrassing it may have sounded.

It was for _his_ assurance, and she would _not_ let her own timidity get in the way of comforting his fears.

"Just for the record, Chief…" she said with a smile, trying to ignore the blush that prickled her cheeks with what she was about to say. Placing a hand tenderly on his shin, she continued; sounding a lot more self-assured than she felt, "…I don't dislike the idea of being claimed by _you_."

His optics broadened in uncharacteristic surprise, _surely_ he misheard her, right?

"Y…you don't…?" he murmured, a little taken aback. He felt the crackling energy beneath his chamber plates hum in appreciation at the idea; something that was absolutely, definitely and _unequivocally_ not going to do _anything_ to help retain his self-control.

"Not at all." she smiled; removing her hand from his leg to rest it softly on the vent of his cheek. He didn't fail to notice the almost _vibrant_ red that painted her cheekbones, "In fact...I'd be lying if I said I _didn't_ like the idea…" With an embarrassed smile, she tenderly traced the vent with her fingertips before turning and heading towards the bay. "Bye, Chief."

Standing stunned for a moment, he watched her until she disappeared into the hangar before allowing a deep his to escape his compressors, feeling his damned traitorous Spark starting to dim a little from the loss of its conquest. The possessive source of energy _already_ wanted the object of its affection to be close by once more; and it saw to it that Optimus knew it by forcing him to acknowledge the dim feeling of vacancy left behind. Yes…_definitely_ not doing anything for that self-restraint of his…

"Primus have mercy…" he muttered under his breath.


	35. Imaginary

**Ooohhh you guys are going to both HATE and LOVE me for this chapter, I think ;)**

**I really, REALLY hope you guys like this one; because I tried to fit in a little display of Optimus at least **_**trying**_** to control his own restraint. The only way he can think to give Tess the time that she needs, is to stay away.**

**But we all know that Tessa ain't gonna like that, am I right? Hehehe.**

**Anyhow…enjoy ;D**

Tessa wasn't one to complain a lot; she didn't like being the centre of attention, and so she always tried to deal with her own problems rather than dump them on someone else.

But her current problem bothered her _a lot_…

It had been two and a half weeks since her date with Optimus, and to her confusion; she had seen very little of him since then. It wasn't that they didn't speak, but she'd noticed that any conversation they seemed to have was kept brief, professional and with a slight distance in between them. He would avoid physical contact with her, and she'd also noticed that he only ever seemed to approach her when there were other people (or Autobots) around them. While she was confused by his actions, if she were being honest with herself it actually made her a little _angry_.

She didn't understand what she'd done wrong, but she wanted to know what it was.

However she'd not been able to keep him around long enough to try and ask him; there was always something he needed to do; a mission he needed to plan for or a person he needed to inform of something. It was downright driving her crazy.

She had spent a fair amount of time dwelling on this, trying to understand. She _knew_ that Optimus had a lot of things under his wings, a myriad of duties that required his address; but she felt so…_ditched_. He'd never acted like this before, almost _avoiding_ her in a way; and that fact in and of itself bothered her.

"You're doing it again, Squishy." Ironhide's voice cut into her thoughts with his brash, abrupt tone.

The little mechanic blinked rapidly, moistening her eyes which had dried from lack of doing so. "Wh-what? Doing what?" she asked, looking up from the forgotten notebook in her hands to catch gaze with the stocky mech., "What…did I do?"

He rumbled a laugh and shook his head, "You were staring off into space again. Any longer and you probably would've found Cybertron." He snorted mockingly at her.

This remark made Tess laugh. "Yeah…sorry, I was just thinking about something." Suddenly she perked up and pointed at him with her pencil, "Hey, weren't you supposed to be showing me that perfect aim of yours on those training dummies over there?"

He looked over at the firing range and gave what resembled a shrug, "I was…but your lack of attention made it boring, Squishy; so I gave up."

A grin slipped through her expression as she scratched the back of her neck with the pencil before answering, "Aw, I bet you just can't do it. You're just a senile old man who needs glasses."

In response, the massive Autobot gave what resembled a snarl and pointed the cannon of his right arm at the female, the weapon making a whirring noise in an almost threatening manner. His face looked angry, but Tessa was well aware of this game; it had become one of their favourite banters.

He was only playing with her, waiting for her to call his bluff.

Instead of reacting, she languidly stretched her arms above her head and yawned before slapping his hand with her book. "Now, now Grandpa; you keep snarling at me like that and your false teeth will fall out!" she laughed, "Hurry up and show me what those things can do!"

With what could only be described as the Cybertronian equivalent of a smirk, he uncurled his fist and used one finger to tap her shortly on the head. The gesture was only quick, and to anyone else it would have looked like he'd poked her; but she knew the meaning behind the notion. Ironhide was gruff and abrupt; not generally comfortable with sappy shows of tenderness, so she knew what small, seemingly insulting jests meant coming from him. The cranky old veteran could easily be described as one of the best friends she'd had in a very, _very_ long while, and his companionship was something she enjoyed; especially the last fortnight with her mind weighing down about Optimus' aloof attitude.

She watched for the next half an hour as Ironhide fired the _hell_ out of a set of clearly reinforced training dummies. His sheer, raw power astounded her beyond belief, because although she had worked on his weapons many times over, she'd never really sat down and _watched_ their ferocity before. She was currently mulling over the designs for her own weapon that she planned to build; having decided that a gun would be her best option.

She didn't plan to be able to _kill_ a Decepticon, she just wanted to be able to hurt them, or use something effective enough to give them pause so that there would be time to react; escape even. She wasn't expecting to be a hero, because it wasn't her role.

The Autobots and the soldiers were the heroes.

Little grease monkey Tessa was just there to make sure that the robots stayed alive long enough for them to do so.

Even though she had a basic idea of what she wanted, Tess still had yet to find something effective for the gun to _shoot_. She needed something powerful; quick, something that would stop the enemy in its tracks even if only for a short while. But she had yet to learn what their _weakness _was. She needed her attack to be able to count, and from what she'd heard about Decepticons that meant it would have to be perfect; she'd get one shot if she was lucky. While she mulled thoughtfully for a moment over her notebook, her attention was ripped from her project by the sound of familiar hydraulics ringing through the training hangar; leaving her staring at an Autobot she knew well.

"Prime!" Ironhide called happily, lifting an arm to his leader in a gesture that was half-wave/half-salute, "Come to watch me blow the metal off these things?" the black mech laughed in jest, the obvious respect and friendship between the two, centuries-old robots clear in his tone.

Optimus observed the surroundings before he responded, his eyes landing on Tessa; noticing the surprise in her eyes as she regarded him. He felt a pang of guilt shoot through his chest plating at her obvious shock in seeing him. He knew he had been avoiding her the last few weeks, he _hated_ that he had; but as he felt his Spark writhe within its chamber, he was reminded of _why_. He stayed aloof from her because of the commanding pull that his essence demanded of him; it wanted to be near her, a _part_ of her.

Optimus stayed away not because he wanted to, but because he doubted his capability to control his actions. He wanted to keep things as human for Tessa as he could, but his Spark's selfish yearning was making it difficult. He didn't _like_ being away from her, but if it was the only way to give her the time she needed to develop her desire to continue their relationship, he would do what was needed.

"I have seen you destroy far worse things than a training tool, Ironhide." Optimus said with a smile, partially directing some of his gaze to Tessa, to which she did return; despite her obvious wariness of his contact. She was clearly bothered by his lack of presence of late; and he didn't blame her…

Ironhide gave a sinister chuckle and addressed his leader once more, "Well then, I have a better idea, Prime. Let me test out my _new_ weapon…against _you_."

Optimus opened his mouth to refuse, but paused to think it over. Ironhide had yet to actually _fight_ with the new weapon Tessa had installed for him. Certainly, he'd trained with it against the dummies, but it was not the same as a real target that moved, predicted and retaliated; it would be much more of a challenge. Not to mention that Optimus had _not_ forgotten that the little mechanic was still there watching them, and although he wouldn't admit it; he was curious to see her opinion of his own fighting techniques. Despite him being a Cybertronian, and a great leader to a noble alien freedom faction; he was still, for all intents and purposes, a male.

And every boy likes to show off for a pretty girl.

"You're on, Ironhide." He rumbled deeply, making his way over to the training area before turning to Tessa, "you might…want to stay somewhere out of the way."

Still trying to sift through her genuine surprise at him openly speaking to her, and her slight annoyance at his recent avoidance of her; she gave him a smirk and crossed her arms over her chest, not moving from the large metal table in the corner she was sitting on before responding.

"I can see quite well from here, Chief." She said firmly, giving him a serious, non-debatable expression.

He gave her a nod, a slight dip of his head before turning back to his comrade who was waiting. "I will not go easy on you, old friend." He said warningly, "Are you sure you wish to do this?"

Ironhide gave a scoff before clenching his fist and releasing the massive machete from his inside of his right forearm; the massive spring-loaded blade appearing quite formidable on the mech. "Bring it, Prime." He growled playfully.

Tessa had to fight to hold back a frightened scream when she saw Optimus shoot forward with an _astounding_ amount of force towards his weapons specialist. Ironhide hardly had time to lift his arm and block before the two of them locked in an intense, almost rehearsed battle. She had never seen anything like it before; it was both a little frightening, and awe-inspiring at the same time. While she'd often seen the results of their fights with Decepticons, Tessa had never actually seen them _battle_.

Optimus and Ironhide had clearly different techniques, but they moved so well together that she honestly couldn't have picked a winner. The Prime, with his dual Energon blades clanging harshly against the metal, swung with the grace of a panther; backed up by the strength of goliath. Ironhide; using her custom machete and his own fists, packed pure, raw power in his blows and he threw his entire weight behind the punches. They were almost evenly matched for a long while, but finally Optimus used his height to his advantage; striking his subordinate from above at an angle he couldn't block. The blow _would_ have been fatal, but true to his nature, Optimus simply tapped the Energon playfully to the back of Ironhide's neck.

"I hate to have to inform you, Ironhide…," he rumbled deeply, "…but you just died."

Tessa smiled at his jibe, not being able to help herself in the wake of his playful, life-sparing jest.

She'd expected no less from the Prime.

As she watched the two of them banter and discuss their training session, she felt a small bubble of repressed hurt and annoyance swell in her chest; reminded of the fact that Optimus had been all but _avoiding_ her the last few weeks. Seeing his freely comfortable banter with Ironhide had made her decision for her.

She wanted some answers.

Closing her notebook, she tossed it careless onto the table next to her and slid off; her boots thumping the ground solidly. She made her way over to where the two mechs stood before clearing her throat loudly to make hers presence known. Ironhide looked down at her with a smug expression on his metal face.

"What did you think, Squishy? I was pretty fragging amazing, wasn't I?" he said gruffly with a superior smile. Despite her current intention, she couldn't help but mock her friend.

"What are you _talking_ about, Grandpa? You _lost_!" she laughed, kicking his foot playfully with her boot before her tone turned serious, "Anyway, you don't mind if I borrow _him_ for a while, do you?"

She looked up at Ironhide, pointing her thumb casually at Optimus; who seemed a little surprised by her question. However the black metalled mech just shook his head in response, "Not at all. I'll leave you two to…catch up." He waved a hand carelessly as he chuckled deeply before turning and walking out of the hangar; not even bothering to wait for Optimus' reaction.

The tall Autobot leader looked down at Tessa, feeling that familiar buzz within his chest plates. His Spark was pleased to have visual confirmation of her presence; and although he wanted to try and place distance between them to numb its demands, he wanted to listen to whatever it was she had to say to him.

"Tess-"

"-Save it, Chief," she said, turning to him with a stern, apprehensive look on her face, "You. Me. Drive. Right now."

He felt the ball of energy within his chest hum contentedly at the suggestion; and he worried a little bit in this regard. It was difficult enough already trying not to kiss her, he didn't know how well a private drive with her would end; however he could not refuse her.

He _would_ not.

Anything she asked of him that was within his power to give; he would give. A drive, he could do for her, no matter how difficult it would be to resist her. Nodding to her, he quickly transformed into the Peterbilt before opening the driver side door to let her in. He decided that as long as he did not activate the Holoform, there would be much less temptation to kiss her. He felt her climb in to the driver's seat before her clipped the seatbelt around her and close the door after her.

"Where would you like me to take you?" he asked her, his voice rumbling through the radio. He could feel the sense of frustration coming from her; not angry, just confused…and perhaps a little hurt. He hated himself for making her feel this way, but until she requested him to kiss her; he could not tempt fate.

"Anywhere quiet." She said simply, her hand rested on the seat in a relaxed fist, "I just…want to _talk_ to you…."

"Alright." He said simply, hearing the flicker of hurt in her voice. So he had been right in assuming that separation was difficult on her too. He shifted the truck into gear and it rumbled out of the hangar.

They drove at an unhurried pace, and before long the late afternoon sun had started to turn the world around them a fierce orange colour. Tess sat in the driver's seat just stewing on her thoughts for most of the drive; however her silence was deafening to him. It was unlike her to be so quiet; especially when alone with him, she usually unabashedly expressed whatever was on her mind to him.

He could not deny that in the last few weeks, he had _missed_ her; and not just because his Spark yearned for her to be close.

"Tess…" he tried tentatively, still not fully knowing whether she was angry with him or just…cautious, "…you wanted to talk to me, didn't you?"

She started to fiddle with the leather on the seats, avoiding looking at the rear-view mirror as she spoke, "Yeah…can we just…park somewhere first?"

There was a moment of silence before he pondered what it was that she asked. Then finally he responded to her with a gentle, comforting tone, "I know of a place…"

They drove a little while longer before they actually reached their destination, and Tessa didn't really speak again other than the occasional small talk question such as 'where are we going' or something of the like. The location they were headed to was a familiar one for him; it was the small overlook where his Autobots, Sam and his mate Mikaela, and himself, had sat and watched the sun slip under the horizon after their first ordeal with Megatron; not unlike the sunset that he could see now…

When they had arrived and he had parked the Peterbilt on the grass a few meters from the edge of the overlook, Tessa had wound down the window and slid herself out of it.

"What…are you doing?" he asked her, both curious and confused by her actions.

She paused briefly before answering him with a pink tint on her cheeks, realizing how stupid it sounded, "Sitting on the hood. Can you…activate the Holoform? I want to talk to you eye-to-eye…" With that said she nodded to herself and slid the rest of the way out the window, clambering carefully onto the hood of his alt mode.

His Spark buzzed possessively at the idea of her reachable proximity, but Optimus did his best to ignore it. Tessa was clearly hurt by his recent absence, and he was not going to deny her the comfort she sought; the comfort he _wanted_ to offer her. Allowing his mind to split from the Peterbilt and into the Holoform, he slid out the other side window and onto the hood of the truck.

Tessa was looking over at the sunset with a perturbed expression before she heard him shift behind her; turning to glance over her shoulder. To her surprise, she saw one of the Holoform's legs on either side of her before she felt two arms lock over her collarbone. He was hugging her while they sat together, and just the gesture made her feel all the anger and hurt slide away; but she still wanted answers.

"Why…have you been avoiding me?" she asked quietly as she focused straight ahead, "When we talked after…that weekend… I thought we were okay…? Did I do something to upset you?"

She felt the arms around her tighten a fraction.

"Never." He rumbled against her ear, "I…have been maintaining distance because of my Spark. It has been….exceedingly difficult to control myself around you. My Spark does not listen to reason as a mind does, it wants only what it wants."

She felt her heart flutter at those words before she spoke, already knowing the answer; but secretly wanting to hear it from _him_. "And what _does_ it want?"

Tess felt him lean back, obviously taking in the orange sky above them as he answered her. "You. My Spark wants you."

The tiniest, playful little smile crossed her lips as she watched the sun, slowly starting to touch the tip of the horizon; causing the copper tones in her hair to light like fire under its light. "And what about the Logical Optimus; what is it that _he_ wants?" There was a brief pause before she felt his chest press against her spine as his interlocking arms squeezed her tightly, protectively. She felt his forehead lower itself against her shoulder before a deep, reverberating rumble shook her spine.

"_You_."

Her stomach jumped at the tone in his words; it was dark, and conflicted, and totally _sexy_. She relaxed her heart and gave a heavy sigh. "Then why are you fighting it…?" she asked.

Optimus gave a heavy sigh, the Holoform's breathe warming her shirt as he did so. "Tess…I have promised to keep this as human for you as possible; you will not be denied of any human courtship traditions if I am capable of doing so."

She smiled gently before leaning back against his chest relaxedly, reaching for his hands to pull his arms around her waist instead. "But Optimus…you're _not_ human. Those 'traditions' don't mean anything to me. You don't have to do this to yourself."

"…I will not kiss you until you request it of me. This I have already sworn to you."

The little mechanic gave a sigh as she reached up her hand behind her to gently trace around to the nape of his neck; her head turning just slightly to rest her cheek on his chest. "…I don't _care_ about what you are or aren't…" she said quietly, "…I accept you for you…in _all_ of your forms."

A hand tenderly traced her jawline as he continued to watch the setting sun with her; trying _desperately_ to ignore the way his Spark was aching at her proximity, warming both the chest of his Holoform _and_ the hood of the Peterbilt. He sighed heavily before he continued, "As I accept yours…But you _are_ human, Tessa. I wish to do this the way that is normal for your-"

Tess moved her hand from the nape of his neck and pressed her thumb to his lips, "Chief, shut up." she shifted sideways a little to that she could look up at him without hurting her neck before she traced her thumb gently over the skin of his mouth, eyeing him calmly, "I'm making…a _request_."

She gently dragged her thumb over his bottom lip as she leaned her face ever so slightly towards his, stopping halfway as she gazed up at him; the orange light from the sun mingling with the glowing, crystalline blue of his eyes before she lowered her voice into a gentle murmur.

"Kiss me."

**OMFG A CLIFFHANGER? NO WAAAAAAAAY!**

**Sorry guys, but I couldn't resist. Just so you all know; in-depth, detailed reviews TOTALLY make me write faster ;)  
>Hehehehe. GOSH I'M EVIL!<strong>


	36. Without A Name

**This chapter is ENTIRELY, TOTALLY 100 PERCENT FLUFFY GOODNESS!**

**:D**

**Just to set anyone's curiosity aside; there ****IS NOT**** a lemon in this chapter, nor will there be for a while. Think about it guys; it's taken 35 chapters just to get to their FIRST KISS. I'm not going to have them sexing it up straight away; where would be the fun in that? Hehehehe.**

**Before any of you go expecting lemons any time soon; please put that aside. Because Optimus and Tessa's relationship has a LOT of growing to do before then, and I can assure you that there will also be a few MAJOR hiccups along the way (namely one in particular-but I'm not telling you what it is hehe) before they actually get to any Spark Bonding.**

**Anyway; I nearly drowned in all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter. YOU GUYS ARE TOTALLY AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! **

**I tried to get this chapter out quickly, because I just KNOW how long you guys have been waiting for this chapter ;)**

**Please bear in mind guys, that I am still new to writing romance stories; so your reviews on how I did in this chapter would be appreciated SO MUCH! Possibly more so than usual; because I worry that I'm not very good at writing romance scenes, so please guys make sure you tell me how I did. **

**Even if I did badly! **

**LOVE YA ALL STACKS! ENJOY THE FLUFFIIIEEEZZZ!**

Had…Had she really just said that?

As in _really _just said that…?

Optimus was physically stunned to silence for a moment as he looked down at her. "T-Tessa?" he started warily. He didn't know if his self-restraint could _take_ this sort of _torture_; she _couldn't_ have been serious…right?

But her thumb on his lips told him otherwise; she'd never had such an intense gaze before, and she was staring right into him.

"Optimus," she said firmly, "did you hear what I just said?"

The Holoform's words caught it his throat before he managed to finally choke out, "I-I did, but I'm not certain I heard you _correctly_…"

She smiled in response and dropped her thumb from his lips to rest it underneath his jaw; gripping his chin gently between her thumb and forefinger, "No, you heard me right. I'm telling you to kiss me, Chief. And I mean _now_."

His Spark was humming approvingly, practically _purring_ at her proximity; he cautiously lowered his face just a tiny fraction, but didn't _quite_ close the distance. He paused barely a breadth away from her lips, his voice lowered to an apprehensive murmur, "…Are…you certain that this…is what you want…?"

Tessa gave a growl in half-anticipation/half-impatience as she tightened her grip on his chin. "Optimus, _now_!" she pulled his jaw forward and crashed her lips onto his, ignoring the sudden gasp of surprise that his Holoform released as she did so. Her eyes were closed as he watched her, so he did the same; trying to mirror her actions.

He was inexperienced; Tessa already knew that, she'd expected it.

Removing her hand from his jaw, she gently traced her fingers into the thick locks of blue-black hair on his head and moved her mouth only slowly; teaching him. She felt the hands around her waist tighten a slight bit as she kissed him, his fingers gripping the fabric of her shirt. She kept her body turned towards him, her form still backed up against his chest as she placed her free hand over the top of his around her waist. Gently and carefully, she traced her tongue across his lower lip, eliciting a surprised noise from him; a wonderfully _innocent_ and adorable noise.

She parted their lips for a moment, tracing circles in his hair as she looked up at him, "It's okay, Chief," she whispered, "…trust me."

She felt his right hand remove itself from around her hips to gently hold her face; his eyes intense as they regarded her, trying to ignore the sheer _singing_ of his finally satiated Spark, "…I do, completely…" he murmured, taking in each tiny detail of her face with the precision of a computer scanning data; he wanted to ingrain her face into his memory for the rest of his existence.

Before Tess could do anything more than smile up at him, he swiped away the distance between them, gently converging his mouth over her own; his Spark absolutely _loving_ the way her fingers splayed over his arms. What the little mechanic didn't realise was that he had performed some momentary scans through his internet filing; trying to gather as much information about human kissing as he could find. Some of it was very helpful; he just needed to figure out how to work it.

He had all the information; now all he required was the practical experience.

Mirroring her actions from before, he slid the Holoform's tongue gently against her lip and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride by the way her fingers tightened into his hair; a good sign he hoped. She responded by drawing out her own tongue; surprising him by touching his before she moved it away again. Instead she focused her attention on his bottom lip, trapping it between her teeth gently and sucking softly on the skin. She could feel his uncertainty, but she _loved_ that he was trying to learn; attempting to map out the situation as any good leader would.

Optimus felt like his Holoform's head was spinning wildly; he was _drowning_ in the sensations she was administering, and she _knew_ it. Her actions made him wonder; how many times in her life had she done this, and whom with? The thought of any other man sitting where he sat right now, hands slung around her waist where his were; any other man touching _his_ Tessa…the very suggestion made the Energon boil in his circuits.

He felt his Spark give off a violent, angry pulse at the thought of anyone even _thinking_ of her like that; and it demanded dominance. It wanted the little female to know that its energy was hers when she was ready to take it; that it _already_ belonged to her. Optimus' hand that rested on her face dropped to her neck, tracing circles there as he separated their lips; lowering his mouth to the junction between her throat and her collarbone before firmly planting them there. He ran his tongue along the skin there, noticing the faint taste of sweat from her physical work; tinged with the bitterness of the metal that she worked with. It was the most fitting taste for her he could possibly have thought of; and he savoured it.

He felt the ball of Energon within his chest ignite like a fire when her fingers lithely clenched at his hair, her breathes trying to intake as much air as she could. He held her tightly in his grasp; one hand clasped at the back of her neck, the other still resting around her hips. Draping both of her legs across his right one, she now sat sideways on his lap as his mouth traced her skin; taking as much information from his internet search as he could. There was one trick in particular that his Spark seemed to agree to trying. Grazing the Holoform's teeth over her skin, he then moved to the side of her neck before gently closing his jaw; nipping the side of her throat tenderly.

Tessa gave a sharp gasp, digging her nails into the Holoform's scalp as she did so.

Optimus pulled back, a horrified and worried expression burned onto his face as he held her. "T-Tess! Did I hurt you?" he asked quickly, glancing at the spot on her neck that he had just abused, his eyes were riddled with concern, "Am…I doing it wrong? I-I'm sorry-"

The little mechanic gave a laugh as she resettled herself, her cheeks were blazingly red, but she ignored it as she exhaled heavily; breathlessly, "Holy _shit_…" she whispered. Then she turned to him with a gleaming smile, "Do that again."

Optimus felt his features relax in relief when he realized that she had not reacted out of pain or discomfort; she'd found the administration _pleasant_. He couldn't help but smile in response, complying by lowering his mouth back to her skin and nipping at the flesh one more time before she wriggled out of his grasp to lie beside him on the hood of the Peterbilt.

"Let me show you something, Chief." She whispered, tracing a hand from his hair to his face. Leaning over towards him, she pressed a hand to his chest; forcing him to lean back against the windshield as she did so. His Spark hummed ecstatically at her touch; its demands faded now that she was there with him. As she leaned against him, her chest touched his; and he could feel her heartbeat pulsing against the constant thrum of his Spark.

It was the most wonderful feeling he'd ever experienced, having her so close to his _soul_, which was essentially what a Cybertronian's Spark was; their raw soul.

Her lips ghosted against the ear of his Holoform, sending an unfamiliar chill _rippling_ down his spine. Before he could say anything, she trapped his earlobe between her teeth gently with a cheeky, embarrassed giggle. She gently sucked at the skin until she heard Optimus make what could only have been described as a breathy moan; surprised by the sensations that the action cause.

It prickled the back of his neck, running across his shoulders and down to his spine. As Tess pulled away to plant a deep, but chaste kiss directly on the Holoform's lips, he clutched her tightly to his chest; resting her head right where his Spark pulsed. They both felt the warm, comforting buzz that came from contentment as they lay together on the hood of the truck, each just a little bit breathless. There were a few minutes of comfortable silence during which his Holoform's fingers played absently with her hair, and hers traced meaningless patterns into the shirt covering his chest; before he finally spoke in a quiet, thoughtful tone.

"I can see now…why your race engages in kissing…" he said simply; not thinking anything of it other than making a statement.

The female lying beside him gave a quiet giggle before snuggling into his warmth, taking in the smell of metal and diesel that he emanated. "Glad to hear it, Chief." Tess looked up at him curiously with a doe-eyed, cheeky expression, "So…you going to stop avoiding me for the sake of temptation now?"

His grip tightened around her as he chuckled deeply; the masculine sound reverberating through his chest. "Now that my Spark seems content with its apparent ownership of you, I should see no problem with that." He looked down at her tenderly as he ran a thumb over her lips; still marvelling over the fact that a human as wonderful and _unique_ as her, willingly chose to be with a Cybertronian who was so very different from her race in _so_ many ways. "Would you like me to take you back now?"

She gave him a smile and leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on his lips; ecstatic that she was able to do so freely now. After she pulled back from him, she leaned her ear against his chest with a contented sigh, listening to his chest humming beneath her as she watched the now twilight sky; the sun's rays just ghosting over the horizon, feeling her eyes grow strangely heavy.

"No. Let's just…stay a little longer," she whispered, "…just like this."

Optimus didn't say anything in response, he just continued to play with her spilled auburn-brown mass of hair; marvelling the silken, tangled texture against his Holoform's fingers. Her small frame was warm beside his own, and it was only in that moment that he realized how much he had been missing out in his centuries of romantic solitude. He'd never had someone like Tessa in his life before; a partner who he accepted into a mutual relationship before. He'd had admirers on Cybertron before its destruction in the war, most of he and his Autobots had; but he'd never allowed himself the distraction from his role.

He was a Prime; his people came before him.

However here on Earth, with people such as Tessa or Sam, even Epps and Lennox; he'd been shown that it was not unreasonable to grant oneself a little selfishness. To be allowed small moments of personal happiness such as a growing relationship with the mechanic, for instance; was something that he had not suspected he would ever permit himself to do.

But it was wonderful.

Optimus felt a heavy sigh escape him as he felt Tessa's small, oil-stained hands curl around the fabric of his shirt as she buried her face into his chest. He felt his Spark chill with a bizarre emptiness as he thought back to his life before meeting her; about her not having been in his life before now. Almost instinctively, his grip around her tightened protectively at the thought of it before he bent his head down to whisper into her hair, his breath warming against the skin of her scalp.

"I have waited centuries to find you…"

To his surprise, she made no reply. When he craned his Holoform's neck to see her better, he realized that she had fallen asleep; her hand still clasping tenderly at his shirt. He smiled fondly before he bent his head to plant a kiss tenderly in her hair, twining his fingers into it lovingly before he whispered again; confirming more to himself than anything else.

"…centuries…"

He stayed there with her for a while longer, watching as the stars began to blink to life against the blackening sky. He thought a lot while he lay there with Tessa in his arms, wondering just which of the stars might have been his Cybertron; out there in space completely void of all previous life. He thought about how so few of the Autobots had managed to escape its destruction; and just how many of them might still be out among the stars, having yet to find somewhere they could take refuge. He just hoped that his last message found some of them, like they did for his most recent batch of soldiers. Sideswipe, Arcee, the twins and Jolt had al managed to find them and take sanctuary here on Earth; he just hoped that others would be able to do so as well.

Finally, looking down at the sleeping girl on his chest, he gave a sigh and gently shook her; causing her to blink sleepily.

"Chief…? Oh…I fell asleep, huh?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hand before stretching her arms.

"Yes, you did." Optimus smiled amusedly. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before dipping his head to kiss her gently, admiring the blush that crossed her sleepy face when he did so. He gave a chuckle before gently coaxing her to sit forward; gesturing to the cabin of the truck, "Come on now, let's get you home."


	37. Just To Be With You

**I'M SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT!**

**I know you guys are used to me updating every day or two, so I'm sorry that you guys have had to wait for this chapter. Truth be told, I've been pretty busy the last few days and haven't had a lot of time.**

**Also, I've developed a little bit of RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury) in my wrists, so sometimes it hurts to type if I do it too much. That's why I tried to take a couple of days to give them a break hahaha.**

**I will still be keeping my updates regular, but just don't stress if occasionally it takes me a few days longer to do so; because I am NOT going to stop this story, even if I were to die I would negotiate with the devil so that you guys can keep reading ;)**

**Anyhow, this chapter is a little bit of filler; but it includes a little glimpse into Tessa's childhood. As most of you have probably guessed, she's very family oriented and she's not like a lot of OC's where her family is either dead, or horrible to her. Hers is a tight-knit and loving family who care about each other; and I personally think this makes for a nice change of pace amongst fanfiction.**

**Throughout the 3 year gap between ROTF and DOTM, I will be including several chapters that involve flash-backs like this one, or events involving her family; because I want to primarily develop Tessa as a character on her OWN; not just who she is when she'd with Optimus. She has was her own person before she met him, and I wanted to demonstrate that she CAN exist without him.**

**Unlike **_**certain**_** Stephanie Meyer books where the lead female *cough*BellaspawnofallMarySuesSwan*cough* has no integrity outside of the male lead *cough**cough* and would die without each other (and tried to do so hahaha)**

**Optimus and Tessa are separate beings, and although they gravitate towards one another and will be a romancing couple, each of them existed individually before meeting; and so they have their OWN personalities. Not every waking moment of their thoughts has to revolve around each other; even if they **_**do**_** think of each other often (**_**they're romantically involved, that's only natural**_**)**

**ANYWAY! Sorry again about the long wait, and sorry about the even LONGER Author's Note *cough*rant*cough* hahaha.**

**ENJOY THE CHAPTER!**

**P.S. The genre has now been changed to Romance/Family instead of Romance/Friendship; because the sense of family interactions is stronger now :)**

The drive home was content between the two of them.

Optimus had taken Tessa back to base to retrieve her things, before they headed back towards her residence. However since neither of them wanting to part ways just yet, they agreed to go for a brief drive, stop at a gas station to fill the Autobot's fuel tank and _then_ she would go home. Tess, who had recovered from her momentary nap earlier; was now perfectly awake as they drove through the dark. The mechanic's fingers caressed to leather seating in a contented and relaxed manner; the passenger seat beside her was vacant of the earlier present Holoform but she didn't mind. It was the _real_ Optimus whose company she enjoyed, not some physical illusion that allowed them "human" moments; she liked being with him in his two true forms.

Very briefly, her mind flickered back to when they had arrived on base to collect her bag; Optimus had chosen to stay close to her while she retrieved her things by keeping the Peterbilt rolling behind her. She just _knew_ that the others could see something different between the two of them; not that she cared in the slightest, she just knew that there was going to be teasing…particularly from Sideswipe and Ironhide. The two Autobots had become her surrogate brothers at the base; a relationship she often missed with her real ones due to distance and busy schedules.

"You know, Sides and Ironhide are going to have a field day teasing us about this." She said softly, her head rested against the seat as she smiled at the thought.

Optimus was silent for a moment before he spoke to her from the radio speakers, "I will have a word with them. You will not be harassed about-"

"-Oh no, no, no Chief!" she said quickly, placing a hand on the steering wheel with a laugh, "I didn't mean it like _that_! I was just saying that we should _expect_ it; but don't tell them not to comment about it. You can't stop family from being family; it's what they do."

"…What do you mean?"

Tucking her ankles under the lip of the seat, she grinned into the rear-view mirror as she spoke to him. "I _mean_…they're like family to both of us. They remind me so much of my brothers…and brothers are _supposed _to tease you and say silly things." Tess felt a reminiscent smile slide across her features, unable to avoid doing so as the wonderful memories of her beloved and _annoying_ siblings crossed her mind, "Then you get to tease them back when _they_ have something to make fun about; it's what families _do_. No matter how much you may fight or argue, you've always got each other's backs…"

She heard a chuckle rumble its way up the line, the sound reverberating through the speakers around her; Optimus had not missed the fondness in her voice; nor did he miss the irony of their opposing situations.

He and _his_ brother, Megatron and himself…

They had been warring for centuries, and there was no turning back from that; there was no '_got your back_' situation between them. Nor would there ever be. To hear her speak so fondly, so warmly of those that she called 'brother' was intriguing and _relieving_.

He wanted to hear more...to have her tell him about the way brothers were s_upposed_ to be... Although he was not usually one to enquire as to personal affairs, he realized that considering the much more…_intertwined_ nature of his relationship with Tessa; he was more entitled to the privilege of her more personal stories. Besides…he was _curious_. "You speak from experience?" he asked gently.

As expected, her smile broadened. "Absolutely. I grew up with two brothers; and both of them were older. We used to fight _all_ the time when we were kids, but I just loved them _so much_; I still do. We could never fight for very long before we'd turn everything into good fun." She giggled at the thought; there were so many good times between the three of them.

"Tell me about them." Optimus said quietly, enjoying the simple sound of her voice more than anything; he could listen to her speak for the rest of his life. Her feminine, slightly scratchy voice had become a familiar sound to him since her first arrival at N.E.S.T, and was one that he would remember for the rest of his days. Tess, thinking about his request, was propping her finger on her chin; trying to think of something specific.

"Let's see…I'm trying to think of one that doesn't involve me swimming naked in a paddle pool…"

Optimus fought _very _hard with himself not to laugh at her obliviousness to her statement. She was looking deep in the recesses of her own mind, completely ignorant of the fact that she'd said anything even _remotely _funny.

"Oh! I know! I'll tell you about Barbeque Day!"

The Prime made a confused stammer before reminding her of their cultural difference, "Barbeque Day? This is…some sort of ceremonial remembrance, I assume?"

Tess snorted before patting the dashboard playfully, watching out the windscreen as the truck turned off the main highway, "No, no. More like…a family gathering; an eating tradition. Barbeques are when humans get together and spend the day outside; cooking meat on an open grill fire which is called the barbeque. That's what the whole thing is named after. When we were kids, every Sunday my dad would make lunch for us out in the back yard; he always used to get side-tracked somehow and overcook the steaks, and Mom always made the most amazing potato salad for us…"

It wasn't long before Tessa began to relive every detail, taking Optimus into the memory with her…

"_Aaron! Give it back or I'm telling Dad on you!" Tess squealed, chasing after her older brother. _

_The middle sibling had thought it would be funny to take off with his sister's toy truck; a present from their Gran for her 7__th__ birthday earlier that year. The mischievous little 12-year-old found her anger funny; he was constantly teasing her about not doing 'normal girl stuff' no matter how upset she would get with him._

"_But I want to look at it!" he said with a cheeky grin, ducking away from the scruffy little girl as she jumped at him. _

_Flashing him an angry expression, she screwed up her face, put on her saddest voice and wailed, "RILEY!"_

_A swift hand came down onto the back of Aaron's head, earning a yelp from the young boy. The two siblings looked up to see 15-year-old Riley with his hand raised behind his younger brother's head; his expression one of annoyed calm. Riley was glancing over at their father who was distracted by the loud hissing of meat cooking on the grill; unaware of the spat going on between his two younger children._

"_Give her back the truck doofus; it was from Gran." He said sternly, "You know Dad will wallop you one if he finds out you two are fighting again. You don't even __play__ with trucks, man; you're too old for them."_

_Aaron gave a sarcastic huff, looking up at his older brother. "So? She should still share-"_

"_-Oh yeah? How about I go and get your Gameboy and lend it to her; since you're so intent on __sharing__?" Riley teased, crossing his arms over his chest in a 'matter-of-fact' way._

_The middle brother's face fell immediately before he shot out his hand to the auburn haired child, the truck in his grips falling into her arms. "Fine. Here, Terry; take it."_

_Tess, whose face was streaked with dirt and her knees stained from grass, scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue with an 'ew' expression. "Terry is a __boy's __name, Aaron!" she said defensively._

_The slightly lighter haired boy laughed at her before teasing her, "Well, you __look__ like a boy." He laughed, roughing his hand through her short, wavy mop of untamed hair; Tess hated brushing it, she always had._

"_I do __not__!" she squeaked, "Daddy says I'm gonna be a lady when I grow up!"_

"_I don't know any ladies who can belch like __you__, piglet!" he retorted with a grin._

_Tess went to reply, but Riley stepped in; enforcing his role as peacekeeper between the two hot-headed youths. "Alright, that's enough! Az; let's go help Mom. Tessie, you go and see if Dad needs anything, okay?"_

_The girl grinned beamingly at him before nodding, "Kay!" _

_With the previous argument all but forgotten, they all parted to accomplish their separate tasks. Their father was already outside, setting up the barbeque and cooking the food; a beer perched on the wooden picnic table in the backyard. Riley and Aaron usually had the duty of peeling potatoes and cutting vegetables for the salads. Tessa, who was not yet allowed to use knives or peelers, always got given the responsibility of putting the picnic cloth over the table and setting places for everyone with the plastic plates and utensils they used on Sundays so that they could just be thrown away; everyone avoided dishes on Barbeque Sunday. As she set the plastic knives and forks on the table, she turned to look at the man holding the steak tongs and smiled up at him._

"_Daddy, don't burn it this time!" she exclaimed, walking over to him as he flipped the steaks. Phil looked down at her with a mockingly hurt expression, his hand over his heart like she had wounded him._

"_Me, Tessie; burn something? Never!" he teased, but Tess looked up at him with the seriousness of a child; folding her arms as if she was telling him off._

"_Yes you do, Daddy! Mommy says you make the garden smell when you burn stuff!"_

_A hollering belly laugh resounded through his form as he put down the kitchen tongs and scoop the child into his arms, making her squeal in delight. Her giggles rang through the back yard as he cradled her in one arm and tickled her furiously._

"_Oooh I'll teach you to tell your daddy off, Kiddo! I'm gonna __teach__ you!" he laughed, swinging her around in a circle as she squeaked with joy, laughing violently through her giggles._

"_Da-Daddy! Please! Stop-hahaha-stop __tickling__ me!" she laughed, trying to breath in between her father digging his fingers gently into the skin on her tummy and ribs; making her wriggle to try and escape his bear-like grasp._

"_Nuh-uh, Kiddo! What's the magic password?" he teased, tucking his arms beneath hers and swinging her around in a circle like an aeroplane. She adored the games she and her father played; he was always doing silly things and telling corny jokes that made people roll their eyes. She knew the password, it was their favourite game._

"_Love you, Daddy."_

"_I'm sorry, didn't quite hear you." Phil teased, tickling her briefly again to make her squeal loudly._

_Tess raised her voice to a yell, laughing as she repeated the password, "Love you, Daddy!"_

"_That's better!" he exclaimed, lowering the child to the ground with a chuckle, "That'll teach you to say that Daddy burns stuff."_

"_-Honey!" came the voice of Tessa's mother from the doorway. Riley and Aaron were both carrying bowls of food and each of them had a bottle of soft drink tucked under their arms to put on the table. Their mother, Rachael, was a tall brunette woman with blue eyes and soft features. She wasn't what one would consider a 'classic beauty' but her warm heart and caring nature was what made her radiant. The had laugh lines on her forehead and her hands were hard worked from years of chasing after small children._

"_Yes, Rae?" Phil called, placing a hand fondly on his daughter's tangled, messy hair._

"_-Honey, the steaks are burning."_

_He'd cursed a string of child-safe profanities and shot back over to the barbeque._

Tessa giggled furiously towards the end of her story, and Optimus could see the fondness behind her memories. It made him feel a strange sense of relief, almost _pride_ that she'd had such a wholesome life; there were so many who had lost so much in this war…

It was wonderful to see the sort of family that they had been fighting for.

As they pulled up in Tessa's driveway and the truck rumbled to a stop, she turned and looked into the rear-view mirror with a smile. "Want to walk me to the door, Chief?"

There was a brief pause of silence before he answered, "…yes."

She grinned as the air in the cabin started to electrify; the static causing her hair to frizz a little bit on the ends. As the Holoform came into being, she smiled and patted the leather seat softly before grabbing her duffel bag and climbing down the side. The passenger side door was heard closing as the human rendition of Optimus came around the front of the truck, waiting for Tess to reach him. She extended a hand to take his, but stopped before accomplishing the task. Instead, she turned and pressed her hand to the front grill of the Peterbilt before planting a kiss on the metal; its surface was warm from having just been running.

Only _then_ did she take the Holoform's hand in hers.

She smiled up at him with a cheeky, amused expression before explaining her actions, "The real you gets attention first," she said as they walked, "the Holoform is nothing but a utensil; you use it as an extension, so it doesn't get first affection."

He smiled at her words, knowing them to be true. After all, even though she had officially kissed the Holoform; it was not technically the first time she had done so to him. There had always been small displays of affection (_and a few sparsely administered kisses_) in his mech form, and she had never shied away from him; she always admitted to his Holoform not being the real _him_.

It warmed his soul to know that she wanted him as he was.

As they climbed the steps and reached the landing on her porch, she suddenly slid her arms around his waist; her hands snaking into the jacket to clasp her hands on the small of his back. She breathed in his scent, comforted by the familiarity of resonant metal and the way he just smelled so uniquely _him_. His Holoform's arms wrapped around her shoulders and held her tightly; he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the feeling of having her so close.

They stayed that way for some time, the seconds eventually ticking into minutes before Tess slowly pulled back from the embrace to look at him.

"You know," she smiled softly, her tone drawn out and mischievous, "tonight probably…kind of counted as a date."

Optimus thought about it for a moment before he chuckled and looked down at her. "I…suppose it does."

She looked up at him with a gentle smile and traced a finger over the pendant bearing the symbol of the Autobots; her eyes bearing a faint blue glow due to the the reflection of his own. "Well then, if this was a date…do I get a good night kiss this time?"

He was stumped for a moment, before a knowing smile crossed his Holoform's face.

Nodding slowly, he traced his fingers up from where they rested around her back, and up towards her chin. He gently held her face in one hand; the digits lightly rested against her jaw as he regarded her expression. She had a faint rouging on her cheeks, but she was not acting embarrassed; she was comfortable in his presence. Clearly the blush in her cheeks was simply a natural reaction to situations like these; habitual.

"Of course." Optimus murmured to her, in answer to her question.

Tess gripped the front of his shirt lightly and stretched herself up on her toes to reach him; their lips meeting halfway. His free arm tightened a fraction around her as they kissed, the Spark in both his real body, and the Holoform humming in appreciation. Tessa was revelling in the sensation that course through her veins in reaction.

It was different than the first time they kissed.

The first time it had been exploratory and uncertain; more a release of retained and resisted tension than anything else. This time it was soft, innocent and comfortable. Tessa's fingers tingled with the magnitude of emotion that fizzled between the two; it was complete affection. Her lips felt like they were on fire…and it was _wonderful_! She'd had boyfriends before, certainly; but they'd never given her this reaction when _they'd_ kissed her. With Optimus it was different; there were no ulterior motives or hidden agendas from him.

He just wanted her company; as she wanted his.

Their kiss was simple and only brief this time but when she pulled away and looked at him, she her chest felt heavier; a feeling of wholeness. It was a feeling of complete and utter contentment, as though everything in the world was right; as long as she had _him_.

Running her thumb over his lips, she smiled warmly at him.

"Much better than the first date," she whispered, "now I don't have to try not to kiss you. Do you have _any_ idea how hard that was?"

A smile crossed his face at the sheer _irony_ of her question before he cupped her face in one hand and leaned forward once more; pausing barely a hair's breadth away from her lips before he whispered, "I understand it better than you might think."

He gently pressed his mouth to hers in a soft, endearingly sweet kiss before pulling away and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. His expression was one of complete fondness, as was hers when she returned his gaze with that blazing red tint across her nose. In this time of war, he felt blessed to be able to have someone to share his time with; and know that nothing he divulged to her would be spread. With Tessa, he could show the side of him that was not a soldier; the side that possessed humour with witty remarks, and uncertainty in the wake of something new. She would never judge him; never demand that his duty came first, because she cared for his _personal_ wellbeing. He felt so much _gratitude _towards her for that…for just being _her_.

"You should rest," he murmured to her, touching a finger to her cheek tenderly before gesturing to her door, "I will see you tomorrow."

She smiled and gave a nod, returning the gesture of touching his face gently with her fingers; then she unlocked her door, shoved it open and turned back to him, "…Good night." She murmured contentedly, her fingers thrumming the door frame. He smiled with a nod and turned to head down the steps of the porch; but a sudden thought crossed Tessa's mind, "Wait, Optimus?"

He half turned to her, looking up in patient curiosity; waiting to hear what it was she wanted to say, "Yes?"

She chewed her bottom lip with a smile as she looked at the ground, before looking up at him with a smile, "Thanks for the drive."

A lacing of humour was spun through her tone, and he knew she was referring to their private moment earlier that evening; where they had kissed under the light of a fading sun. It was a quiet peace that they always seemed to find in one another when it was just the two of them; something that neither of them allowed themselves to have with any other. He gave her an amused smile; placing the Holoform's hand on the space of his chest where a heart should have been, but hummed with a Spark instead. He said only a tiny handful of words before he finally made his departure.

"…_You_, Tessa, are most welcome…"


	38. The Gathering

**Urgh…so much Writer's Block this week.**

**I don't know how I feel about this chapter; it's a bit too filler-y for my taste, however I know that you guys have been waiting and I wanted to get SOMETHING out for you to read, so I've tried to make it interesting.**

**I've included a little bit of teasing from Sideswipe (**_**which we all knew was coming hahaha**_**) and I've also tried to put in a little bit of insight as to Tessa's perception of Optimus, so I hope that makes the chapter worthwhile.**

**Much love guys, again I'm sorry about the wait; I've been trying to come up with decent, non-filler content for chapters. **

**Even if it's just the occasional, pointlessly fluffy chapter hahaha.**

"So, you gonna tell me what happened?"

Tessa kept walking indignantly, her bag slung over her shoulder as she did, "No. I don't think I will," she smiled cheekily, turning to look up at the silver Autobot who strolled eagerly beside her, "not a thing."

Sideswipe, who'd had _no_ luck trying to wrangle information out of Optimus, pulled a hurt expression as she grinned and kept walking across the tarmac. Lennox, who had been the one to pick her up today, had already rolled his eyes at the robot and walked away; laughing at his persistence.

"Aw, come on. I know something's up between you guys! He's been standing off all week, then you guys go for one of those drives and he comes back trailing you like a puppy."

"So?" Tess asked nonchalantly, unable to hide a small smile that crossed her features. Sideswipe didn't miss this; he could see that she was hiding something.

"So, I want to _know_! Did you two Sparkbond, is _that_ why you won't tell?"

"-_What_?" she squeaked, finally turning to him with a wide-eyed expression.

However the poor mechanic hadn't recognized that Sideswipe's accusation had merely been a tactic to try and draw out some information on her. He gauged her reaction and in doing so, received an answer to at least _one_ of his curiosities. "Okay, so it wasn't Sparkbonding. Did you do that human 'kissing' thing? Where did you go?"

"_Sideswipe_!" she screeched, pulling her bag off her shoulder and throwing it at him; her lack of physical strength not allowing the object to hit any higher than the robot's leg. Her face was blazing with embarrassment and the Corvette found it hilarious that she was so unnerved; she made wonderful entertainment. "Stop asking so many _questions_! It's none of your business."

He laughed and bent down to pick up the bag she had thrown at him; the canvas duffel resembling a bug between his fingers as he did so. He handed it back to her with a cheeky look on his face. "Now that's not very nice," he jibed, placing the bag in her hands, "and here I thought we were friends!"

He placed his now free hands over his Spark, pretending to be mortally wounded by her flat refusal, but the only thing he got in response was a laugh, a blush and the shaking of her head. Her tone was amused (_she couldn't really be mad at him for being curious_) but firm.

"We are. But that still doesn't mean you're entitled to details of my personal robot."

Sideswipe grinned at her, as much as his metal matter _could_ grin that is… "Oh, so he's your _property_ now, huh?"

Tess snorted jestingly, "You're damn right he is. Any other bitch touches my truck, her head will be roll."

The Corvette bellowed a hearty laugh at her statement before kneeling down to her eye level. "That's awfully violent of you," he teased, "maybe you've been having out with Ironhide too much."

The little female laughed in response, poking Sideswipe in the face with a cheeky grin. Her night in Optimus' company had put her in a wonderful mood this morning and she felt like having a laugh with her friend. Her expression became one of mischief.

"Sides, have you ever heard the saying 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' before?" she asked.

The gleaming silver mech shook his head, "No. What does it mean? It sounds kind of…dangerous." He laughed, looking her right in the eye with that familiar pair of blue optics of his. Tess placed her hands on her hips with a smug look.

"Basically it means, if you emotionally hurt a female; even the Devil himself won't be able to save you from her wrath." She replied with a grin, punching her fist into the palm of her opposite hand. Sideswipe roared with laughter in response.

"Sounds interesting," he snickered in between each laugh, "lucky for you that Optimus is a 'one-femme-only' kind of mech."

"…Femme?" Tess asked, obviously confused.

"Our rendition of a female; humans have men and women, we have mechs and femmes. Understand?"

She nodded in response, casting a look towards the locker rooms, "That makes sense; I guess I never really thought about what the names would be." Tess looked back up at the kneeling Autobot and patted a hand fondly against the metal, "Anyway, I need to go and get changed; and then I'm going to go _find_ my truck; I'll see you later, Sides."

Lifting a massive finger, he patted her gently on the head with an immaculate amount of care; as one might pet an insect. Then he straightened himself to his full height and nodded. "You do that. Just don't go taking off anywhere private; young love is so powerful that you two might not be able to control yourselves!" The silver bot gave a laugh as he teased her, watching a red blaze flash across her face as she pulled her bag off her shoulder to throw it at him once more.

"_Side_swipe!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Morning Chief!"

Optimus turned from the metal frame that Lennox was standing on as the two of them conversed, to locate the source of the address and look down at her. His facial plates immediately twisted into what would have been the human equivalent of a smile before he looked back at Lennox to excuse himself.

Then the massive robot bent down onto one knee to be more level with her, a hand raised carefully to touch her head with one finger. "Good morning. I trust you're well, Tessa?" he asked her, his tone light and conversational; completely at ease with her.

Tess gave him a smile of her own and placed her hand on his finger, tracing the metal gently as she responded to him, "Just peachy. How about you guys here; anything interesting happen after I left last night?"

Will was the one to answer her question; he leaned casually against the railing of the walkway so that he could call down to her without actually shouting. "We just got word of some stray Decepticons, Optimus and I are just discussing the next course of action to take care of the situation."

The little mechanic's eyes widened in shock as she looked up at Optimus; her jaw slackened with a mixture of surprise and horror.

"Decepticons? I thought that they were all in hiding; why are they showing up?" her fingers tightened on the metal of the Autobot's finger, and he felt her distress almost immediately. Gently he withdrew the digit and laid his hand flat on the ground, palm up so that she could sit in his hand.

"It's alright, Tess; there is nothing for you to worry about. You are perfectly safe." He said gently, watching her as she habitually climbed into his grasp and held his thumb. She looked up at him with a firm expression before pointing at his shoulder, indicating that she wanted to be up there. He did so without hesitation, and once she was perched on him between the Peterbilt smoke stacks and protruding shoulder armour; he felt a hand grip the gear at the base of his finial tightly.

Tess leaned into proximity and said with a firm, almost non-negotiable tone, "It's not _me_ that I worry about out there, Chief; it's _you_ guys. It's so hard to just…wait around not knowing whether you guys will be okay…"

He gave a chuckle glanced his optics over to her briefly before turning to face Lennox again, who was now working on one of the computers from a standing position. Optimus' address was still directed at her though, "This mission is only a few stray Decepticons; very weak drones. They are not much of a threat to us Autobots-"

"-Yeah well no offence, tough guy; but the last time you guys squared off with Decepticons…" she trailed off a little before shaking her head and continuing, "You died. I'd thought that you were gone. In our world, we don't _have_ ways to bring people back from the dead; death is when it's all over…I thought that was it; and I don't…want to lose you like that again."

_So that's what the issue is_… he thought, feeling his chest twist at the thought of her being so hurt and worried for him.

A sighing hiss escaped him before he lifted his right hand, raising it to his left shoulder where Tess sat holding his metal. He carefully, ever-so-gently traced a finger from the top of her head and down her arm in an attempt at a comforting gesture. It wasn't much, but it was the best thing he could offer her in his bipedal form due to their size difference. He didn't fail to notice how she shrank into his touch for support.

"I swore that I would not leave you like that again; I _meant_ it," he murmured to her, turning his head a little to try and look her in the eye. At this closeness, he could see the light flecks of gold in her amber eyes; a small detail that he drank in greedily, "I will _not_ do that to you."

Trying to cover up her worry, she gave a smile and thumped her hand onto the metal of his shoulder; knowing full well that it wouldn't harm him, "You'd _better_ not! My nerves aren't equipped for it!" she said jokingly at him before turning to address Lennox, "So, what exactly _is_ the plan for dealing with these 'strays' as you call 'em?"

Will smiled up at Tessa, noticing that she looked perfectly content on Optimus' shoulder; like she just…_fit _there. It was nice to see that they were actually staying in one another's presence now, instead of the Autobot avoiding her for fear of temptation; it was sad to ever see one without the other.

"Well, it's really not that much of a threat; and I mean that _honestly_ Tess," he looked poignantly at her to display that she really didn't have a need to worry this time, "Megatron has gone into hiding, so they obviously don't have anyone commanding them right now; they're acting without him."

Tessa snorted in an unladylike fashion as she crossed her legs, still holding firmly onto the finial gear on Optimus' face, "Megatron sounds like a dick."

He turned to her with a confused expression, but did not comment; instead he looked at Lennox who was currently choking to death on his own laughter. The soldier thumped his chest in a dignified manner, trying to clear his throat after the mechanic's blunt and simple observation. She'd never seen Megatron; she didn't know what he looked like, or what he could transform into.

Personally she didn't care in any case, because in her mind; anyone who threatened the ones she cared about was _in_ for it. She was only human, she knew that; and she was an _untrained_ human at that. The thought crossed her mind, and her free hand clenched into a fist at the reminder. It made her so angry to think about all of her friends, her new _family_ really, out there making a difference; and her just sitting behind waiting to hear they had won. She was so _sick_ of being the weak link in the chain.

Determinedly, she promised herself to change that.

Her designs had sat in the back of her notebook long enough; she decided that as soon as she had some spare time, she was going to start actually _building_ a prototype. She still didn't know how her weapon was going to work, or even if it _would_, but she'd already decided to herself that she had to at least _start_ on it.

Suddenly she realized that Lennox had already moved on in conversation while she was spaced out. He and Optimus were discussing fine details of where the Decepticon strays had been located and how they were going to deal with them. Apparently it was only two or three that had shown up in fairly remote areas; which worked to N.E.S.T's advantage if they were going to keep things under wraps. The plan was to take the Autobots and split them into several small teams, and then box the Decepticons in so that they could be taken out. Hearing Optimus plan the attack so calmly…so _methodically_ gave Tess the chilling reminder that he was still, above all, a soldier. He was a leader in a war; and war was never merciful, a fact which in the back of her mind made her wonder how many Decepticons had died at his hands…

She knew that the realization that he had more than likely taken lives should probably have scared her, or at least made her wary…but it didn't.

She didn't care.

Optimus had never hurt her, _would_ never; she had seen a side of him that his soldiers had not. He was a proud and mighty warrior; that much was certainly true, but he was a gentle soul with a kind heart and the nature of a pacifist. He only fought when he had to; for those that could not defend themselves on their own.

Tess felt her heart warm at the very thought of his cause, and unconsciously she leaned against the side of his head. He darted his optics to her briefly, but continued talking with Lennox rather than remarking. The little mechanic went on with her musings over the massive leader, a fact that he was completely unaware of as he discussed with Will.

_He doesn't even see how incredible he is, even by human standards_… she realized. His modesty about himself was blatantly obvious. He never boasted about his skill like Sideswipe did, never declared his trophies of war the way Ironhide sometimes would; he didn't argue or bicker with people as the Twins did, and he was not harsh like Ratchet sometimes was. She remembered her first impression of Optimus (_after she'd gracelessly blacked out from shock_) where she'd compared him to a king who did not acknowledge his crown; and she couldn't help but reaffirm that thought.

Because he _was_.

A smile crossed her face softly as she traced her fingers absently along his huge jawline; marvelling not for the first time at how warm it actually was. She decided to include herself in the conversation once more.

"So, when will you guys be leaving?" she asked, craning her neck to look down at Lennox.

The soldier turned and checked his computer screen, typing in something that she couldn't make out from the distance before he turned to look up at her.

"They're planning on being ready to go in about two or three hours. They have to set up contact lines and make sure the area's going to be clear when we get there; because once it starts, the Decepticons don't play nice."

Tess placed a finger thoughtfully on her chin for a moment before replying with a wistful, pondering tone, "So…that's enough time for me to run a check-up on the Autobots first. Do you mind?"

Will shook his head, "Sounds like a good idea to me. It's always better to be sure."

She gave an enthusiastic nod before tapping the metal of Optimus' face excitedly, "Come on, Optimus! Time for your check-up!"

The massive Autobot looked surprised, if not a little startled, by her sudden burst of enthusiasm. "Me?"

"Yes, you," she said with a cheeky grin, "I don't see any _other_ 32-foot-tall robots named Optimus in this hangar, do you? Come on; making sure you guys are ship-shape is the only form of support I can offer you guys in battle, so let me do _my_ job."

He gave a defeated chuckle and gave Lennox a gesture of a goodbye before he turned and headed out of the hangar, Tess still chattering away on his shoulder like some sort of brunette parrot. It didn't take long for them to reach the area on base where Tess worked; a large automotive air hangar filled with tools, machines and car bays. It always smelled of metal and grinder sparks; a scent which seemed to cling to the mechanic even when she was off duty. After gently lowering her off his shoulder and safely onto the ground, he transformed into the Peterbilt at her request. With a fond laugh, she scratched the back of her neck and headed over to him; patting the side of the bonnet affectionately.

"Into Bay 3, Chief; let's get you sorted…"


	39. Duty And Friendship

**DON'T KILL MEEEEE! I know, I know. My updates have been TERRIBLE lately; I blame Writer's Block.**

**Actually no; Megatron! I blame Megatron.**

**Yeah…we'll just go with that ;D Because as Tessa says 'Megatron is a dick" hehehe. Anyhow, this chapter is MOAR filler; but hopefully it's filler with a purpose, because we find out that she'll be getting a VISIT from a family member of hers. Also, I've got some fluff at the end; because I just love Tessimus fluff :)**

**Also; while you guys are waiting for updates from me, there's another story here on FF that you should totally check out. It's well written, original and BY GOD it will make you laugh. Honestly, the amount of times I've snorted with lolz at the most HILARIOUS things in this story are immeasurable.**

**The story is called Twisted, by SimpleRhapsody; who has become one of my most detailed and awesome reviewers. She is a wonderful writer, and the day that we write a collaborative story is the day that much awesome will ensue ;) So go check it out, seriously. It's one of the very few stories I actually have on Alert; because I can never wait to read it.**

**wwwfanfictionnet /s/7193867/1/Twisted (**_**just fill in the dot-points**_**)**

**Anway, enough plugging from me; enjoy the chapter.**

**P.S. Any grammar errors or typos you find in this one, blame those on Megatron as well ;)**

"So how long are you guys going to be gone this time?" Tess asked, her hair piled into its usual sloppy bun; a few stray strands rebelling against the tie that held it.

She was currently standing on one of the side rims on the front of the truck, leaned over the hood so that she could work on the engine. There wasn't a whole lot that needed doing, after all she serviced the Autobots' vehicle forms regularly to keep them fighting fit; she was just deliberately taking her time with Optimus' check-up to spend a few extra minutes with him before he left on their mission.

"It's difficult to say," he replied, his baritone voice seemingly coming from the very engine of the truck, "if we leave when the schedule is planned for, we should be back at some point later tonight. You won't have to worry, the mission is simple."

Tess scoffed and dug deeper into the engine, continuing to speak as if she wasn't elbow deep in metal and oil, "Yeah well, simple or not; those missions don't help me sleep at night. Just promise me you'll be careful out there, okay Chief?"

"I promise." He chuckled.

"No, I'm s_erious_. Be. _Careful_."

She heard a heavy sigh come from the engine beneath her hands before she heard his voice drop an octave; a very sincere and serious tone taking over, "I swear to you, on my honour as an Autobot; that I will take the utmost of caution and return to you with all haste."

She nodded smugly in response, "That's better. Much better; because now if you _don't_ be careful, it means you're a Decepticon. And we can't have that now, can we Optimus Prime?"

He gave her another chuckle before taking on a mocking tone, "Oh, of course not. I perish the idea."

Giggling to herself at his humour, she reattached the oil cap and leaned back, her hands braced against the frame of the hood to hold her upright as she stretched. "Okay, engine's all clear big guy; I just want to check under the truck's belly. God knows _what_ random nasties you've driven over out there!" She laughed, jumping down from the front of the truck as Optimus close the hood.

"Under the carriage?" he asked her, his tone conversational as she looked for the wheelie platform that allowed her to slide underneath cars. She kicked it over to him as he continued, "Be careful under there."

She gave him a laugh, tracing a hand gently over the rim of the front wheel before sitting herself on the low tray bed and chuckling to herself. She scooted the trolley close against him and pressed a hand firmly to his metal, a smirk unable to be hidden on her features.

"Don't worry, Chief; I'll be gentle. Now lift that skirt!" she giggled, tapping the side skirting of the truck before sliding herself underneath to get to work.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"God _damn_ it, why won't you _work_?"

Slamming down the handheld welder, Tess pulled an annoyed scowl; glaring at the small chunk of metal that she was working on. Her designs were right beside her, but it didn't help her.

She'd been trying to start on the prototype for her weapon, having started as soon as the Autobots and the N.E.S.T team had departed; but her work was slow and incredibly hinder. She didn't even know what the _ammo_ was going to be! How was she supposed to make a weapon that didn't _fire_ anything yet? She needed it to be something effective, something that would give her the window of opportunity she'd need in a fight to escape; to get out of the way so the _real_ warriors could do their jobs. But she didn't know anything about Decepticons (_apart from what kind of damage they caused her Autobots_) and so she hadn't any clue about how she was supposed to do that. With a heavy sigh, she glared at the offending object on her worktable in front of her and pulled the mask off her head; letting it drop to the table.

She leaned onto the bench with her face in her hands before tangling her fingers into her hair; pulling tension through it to try and relieve some of her stress. She'd tried looking at the problem from every angle, checking and rechecking her designs; trying to find some essential piece that maybe she was missing. But in all reality, she already _knew_ what that piece was; a necessary part that ensured her weapon would not be built without it.

An ammunition source.

_I can't do this by myself_, she realized, _I need to know more about how Decepticons function…_ She gave another heavy sigh before stretching her arms over her head and groaning at the feeling of her vertebrae clicking into place; a little sore after having been bent over her work that long.

Picking up her pencil, she absentmindedly started to retrace over the lines of her blueprints; going over the designs that she'd already drawn. The minutes ticked by as she did so, lost in her own little world of angles, numbers and ideas; then she nearly had a heart attack when her phone rang.

The familiar sound of 'The Last Fight' by Bullet For My Valentine blared from her pocket; reminding her that she had kept her phone on her for a reason. She normally kept it in her locker, but she'd spoken to Aaron the previous night and he'd told her to expect his call. She smiled happily at the distraction; truth be told she was procrastinating a little bit now.

"Hi Az." She greeted with a smile evident in her voice.

"_Hey Tessie, how's mah favourite sister? Y'all keepin' outta trouble?_"

She scoffed at his question, picking her nails habitually as she leaned on her workbench; the chair creaking underneath her, "_Me_ keeping out of trouble? When _you're_ the one who's the family trouble maker? Perish the thought, Aaron; I can't compete with that."

A hearty chuckle rang through the line, her brother's mutated southern accent clearly evident in his voice. Tessa's family was not from any southern state, but Aaron's accent had evolved through years of being around those who were. Most of his deliveries kept him around the states like Alabama, Tennessee; he'd even spent a few months in Texas a year or two back.

"_Guess you're right, Tessie. Anyhow, there was a reason tha' I called ya._"

"This should be interesting…" she teased, pulling her arm under her chest to support her back; her forearm pressed against her ribs as she leaned over the bench.

"_Y'all getting' together for Dad's birthday, right?_"

Tess nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see her doing so; instead she made an affirmative noise before speaking again, "Yeah, we do the same thing every year. It's in two weeks; how come?"

"_I'm gon' be there this year._"

Tessa gasped in surprise; honest, happy surprise. His job as a trucker often made it difficult for him to attend family occasions or for him to see his family often; it was very much a long distance relationship. As often as they had fought when they were children, he'd been her partner in crime; her protector and her friend. She missed him every day.

"When are you getting here; where are you staying?" she exclaimed excitedly, smacking her hand down onto the table as her eyes darted towards the direction her phone was in; pressed against her ear.

"_Whoa, whoa! Na' slow down there, Tessie; don' have to go a mile a minute. I'm takin' me some time off work. I should be in town bout late afternoon tomorra; I'm gon' book me out a motel for the stay so that-_"

"Stay with me!" she spat out, her heart jittery with excitement at the idea of seeing her brother. It had been almost 6 months since his last visit; and even that had only lasted a day because he was in between delivery deadlines. "I have a spare bedroom; spend those two weeks at my house!"

Aaron laughed on the other end of the line, "_Gotta say, that soundsa' lot better than two weeks o' roach infested scratchy sheets._" Tess laughed at his sarcasm; Aaron had always had the most disgusting sense of humour, "_But y'know Pop don't know I'm comin' okay? Gonna make it a surprise for 'im. Old bastard __is__ turning 55 after all…_"

She couldn't help but snort at the insult to their father. He'd only been 23 when Riley had been born; his children had been his whole world since then. Usually they would all gather together as a family at his home; a 5 acre property he owned with his wife Nora and their St Bernard, Boof.

Tessa's grin was now half a mile wide as she imagined their father's face when he saw Aaron; the son who he very rarely got to spend time with anymore. Phil Jackson was a very family-oriented person; a trait that he had passed on to all of his children in their adulthood.

"Dad's going to _flip out_ when you show up, Az!" she laughed.

"_I know righ'? Well, I'd better go; m'still driving right now. Just wanted t' let ya know I was gonna be in town; but I guess I'll see y'all tomorrow._"

"Okay," she smiled, her heart swelling happily at the thought of having her _Aaron_ back home; even if it was only for a little while, "I'll be there waiting for you. I love you, Az."

"_Love you too, sis._"

"Bye."

"_See ya._"

With a beep, she hung up her phone and gave a long, contented sigh; her mind now unable to focus on the prototype sitting uselessly in front of her because her _brother_ was coming _home_! Pushing her stool back from her workbench, she practically jumped off of it to try and find a superior that she could speak to; she needed to ask for the day off tomorrow. She would tell Optimus and the others when they came back from their mission tonigh-

Tess suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Their _mission_! A sudden realization hit her, they were out fighting Decepticons, which meant that they could get harmed; which meant that _she_ would be fixing them in the morning. She didn't mind fixing them, it was her job; it was what she was required to do. But that meant that she was going to have to try and organize working, _and_ getting home in time to greet Aaron. But she decided that it was the best thing she could do.

She would stay on base tonight, and start as soon as possible; preferably tonight if she was still awake.

With an exasperated groan, she turned on her heel and headed back to her work station; deciding that since she was going to be stuck there all night then she may as well continue _attempting_ to make her prototype. Picking up the welding mask, she placed it on the top of her head before picking up the lump of metal in front of her; inspecting it with sceptical scrutiny. She decided to just play around with the possibilities; tweaking her designs as she went to try and make things work better. Minutes eventually ticked into hours and she lost herself in her work as she usually did when she engrossed herself in a task.

It was around midnight that she finally fell asleep at her workbench like she had so many times before.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"That was too easy!" Sideswipe said happily, shoving into Ironhide with a playful push, "They call that a challenge? Man, Ironhide was wiping the floor with the first one before we even got started!"

The black mech gave a hollering laugh; they were all in a wonderful mood from their success. The Decepticon stray 'threat' had turned out to be nothing more than a few lowly drones causing a stir' easy pickings and they had been able to sort the situation rather quickly. "With Megatron in hiding, they've got nothing; they're just floundering." He scoffed.

"Regardless of their lack in leadership," came Optimus' voice from behind all of them, "they must still be taken seriously. Even a rouge Decepticon can become a threat if they organize themselves; do not let your guard down."

The Prime had, like all of them, sustained a few very minor injuries; such as a few scratches and twists in his metal, or the chew marks on his right arm from a more 'animalistic' Decepticon. However they were hardly threatening injuries and would take very little time to repair before the Energon started to heal them.

"We know that Prime," Ironhide jested, "I just find it amusing that they think they can take _me_ on."

"You? Man 'Hide you only won coz you so _ugly_." Mudflap interjected teasingly, "They's probably just chickened out coz yo face made 'em purge."

Ironhide turned with a threatening, half-hearted fist raised at the little Autobot, "Why you-"

"Guys!" Lennox hissed suddenly, "Let's not forget that it's three am. Barracks are just over there, so don't _wake_ anybody."

Epps snorted at Lennox's tone before turning to the bots, "Damn. You just got _told_." He teased, a chuckle escaping him, "Anyway; let's get going, man. I'm dead tired right about now." He clapped Will on the shoulder and the two of them big good night to the Autobots before heading to the barracks.

As the bipedal robots made their way towards their hangar, a hand poked Optimus in the back to get his attention; and as he turned he realized that it was Jolt who had done so. He looked down at his electrical specialist with a confused expression before the blue robot pointed to one of the hangars; there was still a light on.

"Tessa's hangar is still lit." Jolt said calmly, shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant manner.

To Optimus' surprise, he heard Sideswipe laugh cheekily; the sleek silver bot practically gliding over to his superior with an amused and mischievous expression.

"Your lady awaits you, Optimus Prime." He snickered.

Ironhide joined in as well, clasping a heavy metal hand onto the Prime's shoulder, "I'll bet that was the only reason you wanted to get back so quickly, wasn't it Prime; to see if Squishy was still here waiting for you? Better not keep her up any longer than necessary, humans aren't good at being online for long periods; it scrambles their processors." He laughed.

The leader looked to his team, almost as if to say something in retort; but the fact that they all waved him off rather casually told him that they were all tired and wanting to stasis. He didn't blame them, he was too; but they knew that he would see to Tessa before claiming his own rest. Almost in respect to their own wishes, he nodded and headed for the hangar that Tessa worked in; the light shining through the massive doors onto the tarmac. When he quietly stepped inside, his keen optics immediately zeroed in on the little mechanic, who was sound asleep leaned over her work space. He gave a hissing sigh from his compressor valve and chuckled.

"History repeats itself…" he murmured.

Transforming into the Peterbilt as quietly as he had the first time he'd discovered her sleeping like this, he activated the Holoform and approached her sleeping form. Her head was pillowed by her left forearm tucked beneath it and an open packet of Skittles splayed across the work space. Underneath her outstretched right hand was the notebook she was always scribbling in; full of what seemed to be designs and dot points. Out of selfish curiosity, Optimus gently slid the book from underneath her fingers, pausing as she stirred slightly; but she didn't wake up. Interestedly he flicked slowly through the pages, attempting to read the scribble that she had called 'writing' while looking over her designs. Some of them were crossed out and redrawn, and a few of them represented ideas for new parts or function for the Autobots; but there was one design that kept repeating itself in the pages.

A weapon.

In a small way, this worried Optimus briefly; he'd told the humans that they would not share Cybertronian advancements in weaponry with the humans. But he knew that Tessa was smart enough to figure at least the basics out on her own; after all she spent a lot of time learning about mechanics from Ratchet. They had witnessed humans' inability to restrain themselves when it came to the age-old 'my-gun-is-bigger-than-your-gun' game that they liked to play. But he shook his head at the thought.

His Tessa was not so foolish.

If anything, she was no doubt coming up with a weapon to protect herself should the need arise; and he couldn't say he disliked the idea. The very thought of a Decepticon ever even being within _range_ of her terrified him. He'd seen too many of his comrades die in this war, and Tessa was _not_ going to be one of them; not if he could help it.

A sigh came from his Holoform before he gently placed the book down beside her, tenderly applying pressure to her shoulder with his other hand.

"Tess…" he whispered to her, feeling guilty for waking her, "…we're home."

Her eyelids stirred before her eyes opened slowly, the colour murky from sleep, before she looked up at the Holoform and realized who it was; smiling tiredly at him.

"Chief…" she murmured, leaning into him to rest her head on his chest as she sat on her work stool, "…I waited for you."

He chuckled at her, the noise reverberating through his chest, "So I see. Unfortunately I took too long, evidently; because you fell asleep."

Silence.

Looking down, he saw that Tess had her cheek pressed against where his Holoform's Spark resided and her eyes were closed again. Her breathing was slow and quiet; she had fallen asleep against him. This made him laugh again, tenderly brushing a strand of hair out of her face; observing her facial structure for a moment. It was so much easier to be around her now that his Spark was not fighting him every step of the way; because now he didn't _have_ to resist the urges to hold her, watch her; _kiss_ her. Speaking of the later, he lowered his face gently to her forehead and planted his Holoform's lips there tenderly before tucking his arms underneath hers; pulling her up against his chest as easily as one would a child. "Time to get you into the barracks." He murmured into her hair, savouring the smell of metal that clung to her.

To his surprise, a very weak grasp made itself known on his jacket; the girl's fingers curling around the fabric as she shook her head sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"Peterbilt…" she whispered, "…with you…"

A soft, endearing sigh escaped him as he lifted a hand from around her to stroke her hair softly, "Alright," he said quietly before turning to the truck, "Peterbilt."

"…with you." She finished in a whispered, the grip tightening just a mild fraction. A smile crossed regal features and he pressed his lips into her hair, murmuring a reassurance into the auburn brown locks.

"Yes, Tessa…with me."


	40. Smoke 'Em If Ya Got 'Em

**YAY! No massive wait between chapters! W00t!**

**I would like to use this Author's Note to reply to my anonymous reviewer **_**Emerald**_**; who always provides such wonderful reviews! They make me smile :)**

_**Emerald**_**: You mentioned that 'as much as you have claimed this is a fluff piece..your closing line "Yes, Tessa…with me.", by Optimus is very, very telling in terms of the development of their relationship.'**

**I'm not sure whether or not you meant that there was implication of much 'deeper' levels of their relationship. If not than you might have to elaborate for me. **

**But just to make it known to everyone who that line may have confused; Tessa and OP's relationship so far is nothing more than a few kisses and affectionate brushes. It's not a sexual relationship…**_**yet **_**;)**

**Believe me everyone; you'll **_**know**_** when their first time comes around, because it will be a very significant and important event. I would like to that you **_**Emerald**_**, for pointing out how that final sentence may have been perceived :)**

**Anyhow; FINALLY we have some plot movement. Aaron Jackson turns up on the scene!**

**I would like to point out that the reason **_**Ironhide**_** is the one dropping her off in this chapter, is because I plan for Optimus to be her lift to the birthday party. In my mind, Tessa subconsciously looks at Ironhide as a second version of Aaron because of their similarities; and I wanted the two of them to actually **_**meet**_**. Aaron is just…so much fun to write. I hope you all enjoy reading his character as much as I enjoy writing him. He's totally the overprotective, gruff older brother and I just ADORE him! **

**I hope y'all enjoy it.**

**P.S. Just in case none of you have already guessed (**_**which I doubt, considering how obvious I've made it**_**) Aaron has a southern accent; and that's how I talk in my head when I write him hahaha.**

**If anybody wants to see what Aaron's truck looks like, use this link without the full-stoips put in: **_**wwwautoevolutioncom /images/truck_gallery/medium/MACKTitan-medium-374_ **_**The truck looks exactly like that, except that it has a massive sleeping cabin in the back; considering Aaron practically lives on the road.**

**As always; grammar errors are all Megatron's fault.**

So close. She was almost finished, so close to _freedom_.

She didn't hurry, because she couldn't rush her work. It would be too foolish and dangerous for her to hurry what she was doing, but as she watched the clock on the wall; she realized that she would cutting it _very_ fine. It was already just past three…

"You seem distracted." Came a calm, level voice from the gurney.

Jolt, who was currently rested in the bay, was watching her rewire his arm with hasty precision. She was doing a fine job, but he'd noticed that every few seconds her eyes would dart around worriedly; as if looking for something. She looked over at him and gave an apologetic sigh.

"I know…I'm sorry. I'm just-I'm supposed to be meeting someone this afternoon. I've been trying to make sure everyone is patched up first…" she gave another, heavier sigh before she turned to him with a smile, trying to keep her tone conversational as she hurried, "Did you get to use the Jet Preps last night?"

Jolt nodded, "They were fantastic. I'll admit I've never had so much _fun_ with a weapon before; the Decepticons seemed to shut down so much _faster_."

Tess nodded as she worked, her voice distant as she tried to concentrate, "Yeah, that's the awesome thing about water conduction. Those Preps that are in your arms; the tanks in each of them hold about 45 to 50 litres, so make sure that you try to top them up whenever you can." Applying the sealant to the wire she was working on, she then closed the panel and looked up at him, "Okay Jolt, you're all done. I have to get going; I'm _really_ cutting it close."

She jumped down from the berth and paused as Jolt placed a finger in front of her; indicating for her to wait.

"Not that it's any of my affair, but what exactly are you late _for_?"

She smiled up at him, pleased that they were having a conversation on a personal level; even if it was only brief. "My brother is coming into town; he's going to be living with me for a few weeks and I need to be at my house to greet him." Tess looked at the clock over on the wall and bit her lip worriedly, "I would stay and talk, Jolt, I really would; but I'm _so_ late…" she said apologetically, looking up at him worriedly.

To her relief he waved his hand at her casually in an almost dismissive manner, scoffing at her worried expression. "You have plans. Go."

Shooting him a smile and her thanks, she took off towards the locker rooms to shower and change; retrieving her things from her locker before doing so. She managed to wash and dress herself in record time before throwing her canvas bag over her shoulder and heading to the Autobots' recreation hangar where she knew Lennox would be at this time of the day; she'd need a lift from the base.

As she'd suspected, he was there; working at the computers on the walkway on something that Tess had _no doubt_ that she wouldn't understand. She hauled herself up the ladder and stood behind him; poking him in the back of his head playfully to get his attention. He looked back at her and realized why she was there.

"You ready to take off?" he asked, looking up at her while she stood and he sat. She nodded eagerly in response, lifting her bag to show that she'd already grabbed her things.

"Yep. I really need to leave; like A.S.A.P."

Lennox nodded and raised himself from his seat, looking over the hangar for someone in particular; who was lounging comfortably in his alt mode a few metres away from them. "Ironhide! Tessa's all set to go; you ready?"

There was a very loud engine rev and the Topkick sped to the entrance of the hangar before slamming on the brakes and swerving; the passenger side door swinging open as he honked the horn twice. Tess laughed and looked over at Will.

"I'll take that as a yes." She exclaimed with a giggle, "I'll see you later Lennox," she then turned and leaned over the railing to call out to the rest of them, "See you all tomorrow!"

There was a universal chorus of goodbyes before Tess made eye contact with Optimus, motioning for him to come over to her. As expected, he did so without hesitation; approaching the railing and resting his hand on it as he leaned close to her.

"Do I get a kiss goodbye?" he asked enquiringly, his optics glowing with mirth as he ever-so-carefully made an attempt to flirt with her. Tess giggled at him before putting a hand on the blue metal that guarded his chin.

"You're such a cheeky old robot aren't you…?" she laughed, smiling up at him brightly as she answered, "Of _course_ you get a kiss goodbye."

She planted her lips on the metal of his, staying there for a few seconds before she felt the plating beneath them press against her in return. Their kisses in his bipedal form were cumbersome and odd, but she much preferred demonstrating affection to the _real _him; it was 'truer' in a way.

All of a sudden, there was a single, long, loud honk that blared through the base; making Tess remember that she was _late_. Ironhide was obviously getting impatient, which made her laugh and lean over the railing to yell out at him, "I'm coming, you cranky old boiler! Don't get your skirting in a twist!" she laughed and turned to Optimus, touching his face gently, "I've got to go, Chief; if I take any longer, Aaron will probably already be waiting at my house."

He gave her an affirmative dip of his head and motioned for her to leave, "Go; I will see you tomorrow."

Giving him a nod, she turned and practically _bounded_ down the steps and shot off towards the waiting Topkick; jumping into the passenger seat. Ironhide was already driving away before she even had the chance to shut the door.

"_Iron_hide!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

"We're almost there," came a gruff voice from the speakers, "now tell me, who is this fleshy that you're meeting?"

Tess, who had been absentmindedly staring out the window for most of the trip, looked up into the rear-view mirror and smiled, "He's one of my older brothers; Aaron. You'd probably really like him 'Hide; you're both grumpy, old hard-asses."

A laugh resounded through the stereo around her as he vocalized his amusement at her comment. In a lot of ways, he supposed that if he'd had such connections to compare it with; she was indeed a lot like a sister might be. They bickered, they joked and they teased each other mercilessly; but none of it contained any animosity. They were indeed like family as she'd referred to them several times, and although the cantankerous old mech probably wouldn't admit it aloud; it warmed his Spark to think that she felt such connection for the Autobots.

"I wouldn't blame him for being 'a grumpy, old hard-ass' if he's had to put up with _you_ his whole life!" he retorted smartly, "In fact, I feel sorry for him."

The little female scoffed and slapped the seat with the back of her hand, "Hardy ha, you're so _funny_, old man."

"I am, aren't I?" he replied smugly, a mirthful chuckle underlying his tone.

The two of them maintained a short, bickering conversation that ended in a war of words (_which Ironhide gleefully won_) before they finally pulled into Tessa's street. That was when she felt the static electricity building in the cabin as a curling blue 'spine' of electric energy began to form in the driver's seat. Ironhide's Holoform soon appeared next to her; his massive, muscular form practically blocking out the sun.

He looked like a human tank.

"What's with the Holoform?" she asked, looking over at him with a confused and slightly bewildered expression. He turned to face her with a grin that just _oozed_ with uncharacteristic mischief. His glowing, neon eyes were practically glittering with mirth.

"I want to meet this 'brother' of yours."

Her jaw hung slack for a second; mind awhirl with the scenarios and possibilities that the suggestion posed. They would either get along really well, or really bad; and either way it spelled _trouble_ for her.

"No," she said quickly, "no, no, no; no freaking way! One torturous brother at a time, thank you very much."

Ironhide's Holoform shrugged nonchalantly; not really listening to her objections. "Wasn't asking permission, Squishy. Besides you don't have a choice; welcome home."

Tess whipped her head around to see them pulling up on the curb in front of her house. Parked in her driveway was a massive, _massive_ red and chrome truck, with a massive sleep cabin in the back and towering smoke stacks. She immediately recognized it as Aaron's baby, a Mack Titan; one of her favourite trucks before having met a certain Peterbilt.

Aaron Jackson was sitting lazily on her front steps, perked up at having seen a vehicle pull up. She turned to Ironhide with a scowl that was only half serious before she sent him a warning.

"Be_have_." She said lowly.

He scoffed in response with a 'yeah, yeah' hand gesture before she turned back to where Aaron sat on her steps and broke out into a grin. She opened the door and stood up against it as she hung out of the car, putting on the most southern accent she could attempt.

"Somebody call the cops! There's a redneck in my driveway!" she hollered before jumping down and all but running to her brother; who had stood up to greet her.

Both of them laughed as she flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him as he lifted her effortlessly into the air; his own arms crunched protectively around her middle. He smelled just like she remembered; of dust, metal and cigarette smoke. As she pulled back from him, she took in his appearance; grinning up at him in glee.

His copper-brown hair was lighter than hers by a few shades, with a strong, rectangular jawline and their mother's vibrant blue eyes. There was a three-day stubble lining his chin and his broad, bulky 6'1 frame was strong and powerful. He wore a checked, red flannel with the sleeves ripped off, a black t-shirt underneath and a pair of faded blue denim jeans. On his feet were black, steel-capped worker's boots; and on his face he wore the dopey smirk that she'd never been without in her entire life.

"I missed you so much, Az." She beamed, clasping him in another hug.

He gave a drawling laugh, his accent so much _thicker_ in person than over the phone. "I missed ya too, Tessie. You grown a whole millimetre," he smirked down at her, "y'all still got no chance o' bein' taller 'an me."

Tess jabbed him playfully in the ribs with a giggle, "What do _you_ know, you hick? You're nothing but a chain smoking, buff old trucker with bunions on his butt! You-EAGH!"

She gave a squeal as he bent down, smacked his shoulder into her belly and used the leverage to swing her over his shoulder. Given his superior height, she squealed at the distance from the ground; half laughing and half shrieked.

"Now that ain't nice thing t' say 'bout 'yer favourite brother." He laughed, swinging around in a circle; making her shriek again.

"Put me down! Oh my God-hahaha! Aaron put me _down_!" she screamed with a laugh.

He mock-dropped her, making her laugh and squeak at the same time before her returned her to his shoulder; his arm hooked securely over her knees to keep her supported. "I told ye' Tessie; what you said ain't nice now y'hear? Gonna have to say a nice big long sorry to me 'fore I'm gon' let you dow-"

A hand on his forearm stopped Aaron's words, a large; forceful hand. His gaze travelled up a massively powerful arm to the _tank _of a man who it was attached to. A mop of short, spiky, dark hair rimmed two neon blue eyes and a large, discoloured scar over the right one. The face of the man, who was a good few inches shorter than the trucker, was knitted into an apprehensive scowl.

"-She asked to you let her down." Came a heavy, baritone voice; a British edge detectable in the accent. Aaron felt his hair sand on end at this s_tranger's_ insolence in thinking he knew anything about how he and his sister messed around.

"Y'all better let go o' me arm, cowboy." Aaron growled defensively, his free hand shooting up to grab the shorter man's collar, the other hand around Tessa's knees tightening protectively.

The girl in question swung her head around to an angle she could see, and her eyes widened in shock at the scene. Of _course _Ironhide had responded to her cries; he wasn't familiar with how she interacted with her brothers and as a soldier, his first instinct was to protect.

"Shit!" she hissed, "Ironhide; it's okay, he's not hurting me! Aaron, let him go. I mean it. Let. Him. _Go_!" she kicked a little before her brother gently lowered her to the ground and she gently placed a hand on each man's arm; feeling a little bit like a mediator trying to prevent a brawl.

"Tessie, who is this shit-stick?" Aaron asked, his eyes narrowed at Ironhide's Holoform, "Sweet holy Hell, he ain't yer _boyfriend_ is he?"

She had to hold in a laugh at that, waving her arms in front of her desperately, "Oh, no, no, no! _God_ no! Ironhide's my friend; we work together."

"…Ironhide? Wha' kinda tool name is _Ironhide_?"

_Shit_! Tessa thought, realizing her slip up at having used his real name. _Think Tess! Think of something_!

"Yeah, it's a…codename. Being in the military; you know? Everyone just calls him Ironhide; he's kind of…from their Weapons Division. Right 'Hide?"

"Yes."

Aaron looked the Holoform up and down sceptically; "I'll bet he is…" he turned to his sister with a confused expression, "This guy's your friend?"

She gave him a nod, crossing her arms uncomfortably at the situation, "One of my best."

Tess felt her goose bumps rise in nervousness. She knew both Aaron and Ironhide well; both of them were stubborn and fiercely protective of her, and from her childhood experiences Aaron very rarely backed down from a potential fight. However to her surprise, she saw him give a heavy sigh before turning back to face the Holoform.

"Well…I... I _apologize_ if I worried ye' just now. Didn't mean no harm by it," then he stuck out his hand in a gesture of acceptance. _Stuck_ out his _hand_! Tessa was about to have a triple bypass at the sheer _magnitude_ of the action, "name's Aaron. I'm Tessa's older brother."

Ironhide looked at the outstretched hand for a second before looking to Tess for instruction; she nodded her head with a smile. Then he reached forward and clenched his large hand into her brother's and shook it. In that moment, she could physically _feel_ the tension in the air slip away; and she was beyond relieved. The two men in front of her where both so similar that it was uncanny; and in hindsight it was no wonder that she had so quickly gravitated towards Ironhide as a brother figure.

Personality wise, he was almost a duplicate of Aaron.

After she'd let them shake hands, she cleared the air by taking them both into the house and sitting them at her kitchen table with refreshments; Aaron with a coffee, Tess with her carton of juice and Ironhide with a glass of water. The conversation at first was tentative and awkward, mostly just Tessa trying to make small talk between the two headstrong males. But then the conversation got on to vehicles, and Aaron had to make mention of the Topkick.

"I'll admit; that was some fine truck y'all pulled up in. Yours?" he asked, turning to Ironhide with a curious expression; slurping his coffee in an almost piggish manner. Tess kicked him under the table for being gross, to which he ignored her.

Yep… It was _just _like when they were kids.

Ironhide gave an almost proud smirk before he replied, "It's certainly a cut above the rest, right, Tessa?" he asked smugly.

It was strange hearing him actually refer to her by her name, and not Squishy like he usually did; but she supposed it would look odd, him calling her by such a name when Aaron though 'Hide was human.

"I dunno. It's got a few kinks and rattles in it that _really _give me hassle…" she said thoughtfully, her fingers tapping her chin, "…it's such a _clunky_ old boiler. Sometimes I think about pushing it off a cliff."

Her expression grew into a wide, triumphant grin as Ironhide's face went from horror to irritation at her jibe, "I'd like to see you _try_ it." He spat with a mocking sneer.

She patted her hand on the kitchen table teasingly. "Bring it, old man." She grinned.

Their staring competition was interrupted by Aaron laughing at them, taking another swig of his coffee before he spoke, "Damn, two o' you are worse'n me 'n Tessie when _we_ fight!" he laughed; clearly amused by the brother-sister antics of the two in front of him.

Tess broke into a laugh and smiled at Ironhide as she did so; clearly forgetting they had been bickering. She was just so _ecstatic _to have her _brother_ here with her. The Holoform joined in the mirth with a chuckle of his own before rubbing his temples and looking up at Tessa's clock.

"Well, I'm going to leave and let the two of you continue. Aaron," he turned to the trucker with a knowingly cheeky look, "keep her out of trouble."

The auburn haired male laughed vibrantly in response, thumping the table with his fist, "Don'che' worry 'Hide," he grinned, "she ain't gon' be gettin' into _no_ trouble while I'm around."

Tessa gave a joking groan as the two laughed at their banter, burying her face in her hands in mock horror. "Oh God _no_! You're _teaming up_ against me? That's not even _fair_!"

Ironhide shrugged, "Ah well, you're his problem now." He teased, pointing a thumb at Aaron; who grinned almost _evilly_ in response.

Despite her jokes and mocking horror at their co-operation, she felt her heart swell in both happiness and relief. The fact that the two cantankerous males had found common ground took a great weight off her shoulders; because it made having them around one another so much easier. "Oh shove off you trigger happy fart."

He gave a bellowing laugh at her insult before shaking Aaron's hand firmly; having decided he liked this human's brash manner and clearly fierce protective streak. He felt that the object of his commander's affection was well looked after in the company of this human; and that was enough for him to approve. As he headed for the door, he placed a massive palm quickly on Tessa's head and ruffled her hair. "See you tomorrow," was all he said before leaving.

She didn't miss the magnitude of the gesture. The two of them didn't need words to demonstrate their brash and sometimes bickering affection towards one another.

"Well," Aaron said calmly, reclining comfortably in his seat at the table, "…my first impression was wrong. I liked that guy; he seems to care a lot about you."

She shrugged in response, sipping her juice lazily, "Yeah, when he's not annoying the crap out of me." She giggled, scratching her nose absently, "I guess I sort of look at him like a second version of you."

"What? Someone who annoys th' crap out o' ya?"

"Exactly."

The two of them looked over at each other across the table; but were unable to maintain straight faces and eventually broke out laughing. It felt just like old times; the two of them able to make each other around them laugh with only gestures, phrases and facial expression. It was something that they hadn't been able to do in a long time.

"I've really missed you, Az. Missed _this_, you know?"

He gave a chuckle and finished off his coffee. "Yeah, me too Tessie." He pushed back his chair and stood up, rubbing his stomach through his shirt as he cleared his throat. Making his way around the table, he put a hand on her shoulder with a warm smile, "Le's go out 'n grab some grub. We gotta lot o' catchin' up te do."

Pushing herself back from the table and grabbing her bag off the chair next to her, she grinned and nodded before hooking an arm around his massive barrel torso and tucking herself securely under his arm. "Yeah, let's go get some takeaway."

He chuckled with mirth, "Yup! I could go me a Double Quarter Pounder 'n cheese." With that they headed out the door, Tessa locked it behind them and they headed for the massive Mack Titan parked in her driveway. Her heart swelled at the realization that they were off for a late lunch at McDonalds.

Just like old times…


	41. Sidewalks

**Okay, so this chapter is basically some brother-sister banter and laughs. **

**Also…Sideswipe's Holoform makes an appearance ;) By the way; I imagine his hairstyle to be something like this: 1bpblogspotcom /_uJCHGvIp3BA/TPt6ruymMOI/AAAAAAAAFnw/IlVM5JsBtmM/s1600/Mens+Faux+hawk+ (**_**use a full stop between the 1 and the bp, and another full stop between bp and blogspot**_**) except that it's the colour described in the chapter, and it doesn't have that little 'rat's tail' at the bottom like the image does.**

**By the way, at the end where Sideswipe addresses Tessa as 'babe' please take note that he's done this before; so just before anyone feels like he's altering character, just remember that! Hahaha.**

**ENJOY!**

The trip to McDonalds proved to be just as hilarious as it was when they were teenagers. Aaron had ordered his Double Quarter Pounder, making sure to upsize everything like he normally did; and he'd poked fun at Tessa for ordering a cheeseburger meal; only regular in size. The oddball pair sat in the corner of the restaurant, looking out the window at the massive Mack that he had parked across four car bays. Nobody had told him to move it.

With girth like his, nobody ever did.

"So tell me, Tessie; where'd ye get this?" he asked, pointing at the scar on her right arm with a sceptical look, "You ain't bin out fightin' with them army dogs have ya?"

She gave a laugh and pulled the top off her cheeseburger, stuffing it with chips before replacing the bun, "Actually, no. _This_ was from my own stupidity and I deserved it; I tried using a power saw without protective gear." With one long arm, he reached over the table and clipped her around the back of the ears with his hand.

"Tha's what you get fer bein' _stupid_, Tessie! Y'all know better 'an that!" he scolded her, watching her rub the back of her head tenderly.

"Yeah, I know. I already got a massive lecture from my boss." Tess gave a shrug and big into her French-fries-stuffed-cheeseburger with relish. To her surprise, Aaron pointed at her with a chip; brandishing it like a sword as he gestured at her.

"Yer boss? He the one Pop told me 'bout, what with the funny European name 'n all? The one who turned up at yer house with ye' that time; told Dad the whole reas'n ya went missin' fer a week?" he spoke in between bites, his mouth full of French fries; causing Tess to wrinkle her nose in disgusted fondness.

"Yeah, him too," she couldn't stop a loving smile from crossing her features as she thought of Optimus before she continued, "but mostly just one of the army guys I work with; he got really angry that I'd been so dumb."

"I don't blame 'im! You are pretty stupid."

She slapped him on the arm from across the table with a mockingly insulted face, "Only because it runs in the _family_!" she retorted.

Aaron gave a fake gasp and placed his hand on his heart, as though she had physically wounded him, "Tessie…" he murmured, before his face grew into a grin, "that's ain't a very nice thing t' say 'bout Riley!" The two of them maintained eye contact for a few seconds before they started laughing again. It felt so good to be able to talk and tease like they'd used to, she'd missed it so much.

"Now I find it interestin' y'know, "Aaron started once more, "that face y'all pulled just now. 're you an' that Opium guy-?,"

"-Optimus." She corrected him quickly.

Aaron's lip twitched into a knowing smirk at how immediate her correction had been; almost defensive, "Yeah…_Optimus_. You went all…dazed. He yer boyfriend or somethin' Tess?"

The girl's eyes widened and she started to choke on her burger, immediately taking a large sip of her soft drink to try and quell the burn it caused in her throat. "N-no!" she sputtered in between chokes, her cheeks flushing scarlet. Her brother; who knew her as well as she knew herself, leaned on his hands across the counter and quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh really? Them cheeks are tellin' me ya lyin' to me." He smirked, "So how's about y'all just tell me the truth; we both know ya can't lie t' nobody."

She felt the lump rise in her throat as she heeded his words. No, she couldn't lie; especially not to her family. They knew her inside and out; and her whole life she'd been a terrible liar, she'd never been able to hide it.

"I…I don't want you to go freaking out on me okay? He's…such a good person…" she couldn't help but smile again. Just _thinking _about Optimus made her happy; almost giddy in a way. Aaron slapped the table in half amusement, half disbelief.

"Shit, Tessie! You're sleepin' with yer _boss_?" he hissed, keeping his voice low to avoid attention; not wanting to embarrass her despite his own shock.

"_No_!" she exclaimed quickly, "We're not sleeping together! And he's not _really _my boss! He's-well…Look, just let me explain okay? Hear me out."

He crossed his arms and nodded his head; leaning back in his chair with the air of someone who had the world at his feet, "I'm listenin' Tessie."

She felt a swell of relief wash through her at his statement; he'd clearly grown up a little since she'd last seen him. Usually any mention of a male even _looking _at his sister romantically sent him off into an overprotective tangent, which would usually end in a brawl between the defensive brother and the would-be boyfriend or an argument between Aaron and Tessa.

He was clearly trying to treat her like the adult she was now.

Clearing her throat, she took another sip of her drink before trying to piece together her defence without mentioning anything about Autobots or N.E.S.T's true operations; she had to tread carefully with what she said.

"Well…Optimus isn't my _boss_, like I just said. He's the commander of a particular…_division_ and he drives one of the trucks that I work on; his subordinates own several of the others. I work _with_ him, not _for_ him."

"So…'e's a colleague then?" Aaron asked picking up another handful of chips and stuffing them into his mouth. Tess confirmed with a nod and allowed him to continue, "Well 'en how long you two bin official?"

Her cheeks flashed scarlet once more at Aaron's bluntness; he'd never been one to bullshit around a subject, it just wasn't the sort of person he was. "Well…there was something _there_ for a long while before we actually acted on it…We sort of just, came to the understanding that we both felt the same…I'd say maybe a few months of dancing around the subject, maybe a month of being…I dunno…_official_ I guess. I've known him…" she had to pause to think about it for a moment, "after my birthday I will have known him a year."

"Has 'e tried anythin' on ya yet?"

"_God_ no!" she said quickly, waving her hand in assurance, "Honestly Az; he's not like that at all. We're just…taking it a day at a time. It's still…early stages yet."

Crinkling up the wrapper to his burger and stuffing it into the empty chip container, he gave a heavy sigh and looked over at her for a minute; trying to read her expressions and her body language. "Well…s'long as 'e don't hurt ya, I'ma give 'im the benefit of th' doubt." He looked at her seriously before he spoke again, "But I swear, Tessie…If he hurts ya, if he _dares_ hurt ya; you ain't got no say in what I do to 'im. Y'hear me?"

In the back of her mind, she was laughing at the idea of Aaron even being able to _scratch_ Optimus, but she knew that his words were not half-hearted. Her middle brother was not afraid to fight, even when he was almost guaranteed to lose; he was a strong-willed and determined individual.

When he fought for those that he loved; he never backed down.

Giving a heavy sigh, she rested her hand on his semi-clenched fist and smiled. "You don't have to do that, Az. He won't hurt me; he's honest and he cares about me. He's good to the very _core _of who he is Aaron, and I don't want you to threaten him. Not ever."

The air hung between them for a moment as she let her words sink in, she noticed that he nodded slightly; a show that he had heard her before he took a long slurp of his Coke and rested his broad chin in his hand; his elbow leaning on the table.

"So're ya bringin' him to Pop's birthday?"

Her eyes widened in surprise at his statement, "Well…I wasn't _going_ to. It's Dad's _birthday_, not somewhere to go on a date."

"Well, I think y'should. Riley's takin' Em an' Lucy ain't he?"

"Yeah; but that's different. They're his family-"

"-Don' 'yeah, but' me Tessie. They were goin' to Pop's birthdays long b'fore they were married. Y'all should bring Opium-"

"-_Optimus_."

"-Yeah, him. I think ya should bring 'im; I'll help y'all tell Pop that you two's an item."

Tess gave a heavy sigh and ran her hands through her hair; suddenly nervous at the idea. She didn't want to show up on her Dad's special day with a date that he hadn't been pre-informed of. It just felt…rude. "I…I can't do that to him," she said quietly, "that's so selfish."

Aaron scoffed at her, "Tessie which d' you think he'd rather; findin' out sooner, or findin' out that yer keepin' a secret lover man?"

"…good point…"

"I promise ya, I'll make sure 'nough that it'll be okay. Pop ain't gon' hold it against ye for tellin' 'im the truth." Az pushed back his chair and threw their trash into a nearby bin before he turned and gestured to his little sister, "C'mon Squirt, I wanna go 'n hire out some movies. We need one o' them old school movie nights, awright?"

Deciding to put the suggestion of the party on the back burner for now, she too pushed back her chair and thumped him playfully in the chest; a joyful little grin written on her face, "You're on, redneck."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Aside from the times she'd spent with Optimus recently, that night turned out to be one of the best that she'd had in a long time; purely because it had been spent with her brother; doing all the stupid things they used to.

They'd watched several movies ranging in genre; from Paranormal Activity and The Grudge, to White Chicks and The Lion King. They ate three bowls of popcorn, drank several litres of softdrink, had a belching contest and Aaron had nearly killed Tessa with a Dutch-Oven. They'd poked each other, slapped each other, quoted movie lines at the same time; and eventually he had fallen asleep on the sofa.

Tess hadn't had the heart to wake him, and so she'd gotten a blanket from the linen cupboard and covered him in it before going to bed herself. Morning had come too early in her opinion, but considering that she had work; she'd up and showered routinely before dressing.

She was currently standing in the kitchen finishing off a bowl of Lucky Charms, her fingers occasionally digging into the packet of Skittles next to her on the counter to pop a few of the lollies into her mouth. Aaron had gotten up shortly before and made his way to the toilet, grumbling a good morning in his sleep-induced stupor.

He had _never_ been a morning person.

Finishing off her bowl of Lucky Charms, she rinsed the bowl in the sink and left it on the edge of it to wash when she got home. She grabbed another handful of Skittles before stretching languidly with her arms up above her head. She was ready to leave; she was just waiting for someone to show up and give her a lift.

"I wouldn't go usin' y'all bathroom fer a while there, Tessie." came Aaron's sleep riddled voice mumbled as he came and rested on the opposite side of the kitchen counter, leaning on it heavily.

She scrunched up her nose at the comment before replying to him. "Ew. Aaron, you're _disgusting_!"

"I know." He grinned back at her. Then he spotted her back of Skittles sitting on the counter in front of them, "Y'all still eat them damn things?"

It was a habit she'd retained from childhood that he'd always tried to make her stop. Remembering this, she shot him a grin.

"Depends. You still smoking?"

Aaron shrugged nonchalantly, "Yeah, so?"

Tess crossed her arms and leaned over the counter with a smug look, "Then yeah, I guess I am still eating Skittle. I'll quit when you quit." she said calmly, her tone one of patronizing professionalism. The auburn haired trucker laughed loudly at her before scratching the back of his neck tiredly.

"Yeah, ye'll be waitin' a while."

"Then so will you."

A beep from outside drew the attention of both siblings, and Tessa picked up her duffel bag from the counter before heading to the door. Aaron followed her, more than a little curious; he would admit.

To Tessa's surprise, _Sideswipe_ was the one parked on the curb out the front of her weed-choked lawn. Leaning against it, was what she assumed to be his Holoform; and by _God_ she couldn't have pictured it better herself.

He'd taken on the appearance of a male in his late-teens to early-twenties, with a leanly muscled, tall figure. He had the standard, glowing blue eyes that all the Autobots had, but his hair…his _hair_! It was a stark, silver blonde; no really, white, _silver_ blonde. It was cut into an edgy, stylish fashion; short and choppy at the back and sides, with a longer, more sharp flow in the middle section. Kind of like a faux-hawk, but much more drastic.

Pale, Caucasian skin was clad in a pair of slim fit silver pants, his torso covered by a skin-tight, long sleeve black shirt that appeared to be something like stretch cotton. Over that was a white, open zipped, hooded vest that was trimmed with silver. In the reflection of the Corvette's window, she could see the Autobot insignia printed on the back; also in silver. His ears were pierced several times with studs and hoops, all silver in colour; and several of his fingers bore silver rings. His shoes; a pair of metallic, gunmetal grey designer skate sneakers, clearly had miniscule wheels in them, because he was rocking back and forth on the paving with a cheeky grin. Tess recognized them as the 'roller-shoes' from a fad that the kids in the neighbourhood had gone through; she'd seen them everywhere. Rested on his head was a pair of sleek, designer shades in silver frames.

"_Sideswipe_?" she gawked, slinging her bag over her shoulder and looking at the Holoform in wonder, "Wh-what…? _Wow_! This looks…amazing!"

He uncrossed his arms with a grin and replied, "Cool huh?"

"Absolutely! It's-"

"-Sideswipe?" came Aaron's voice from the porch steps, "That another one o' them _codenames_?"

Before Tess could say anything, the Holoform tucked away the bottoms of the 'gliding' shoes and strode up to her brother with all the confidence of the world, his hand held out in a greeting, "Sure is; cheesy right? People who aren't in the military arm though just call me Silver; for obvious reasons. I just wanted to meet this famously awesome brother Tess kept raving about."

Aaron gave the young man a quick up and down before smiling and clasping his hand into the one that was being offered. Tessa couldn't help but be amused by just how _easily_ Sideswipe charmed her brother; he'd always had a massive ego so a little flattery went a long way. The younger man had a killer, Hollywood-white set of teeth that he was flashing at the trucker; shaking his hand firmly with mirth.

"Well 'an it's good ta meet'chya kid. What's yer job around this super-secret army joint?" he enquired, looking over at the Corvette. Sideswipe shot him a cheeky grin and wiped the tip of his nose with his thumb as he smiled.

"Can't tell, I'm afraid; it's a secret."

Aaron groaned and threw his arms up in a shrug, "O' course it is. Shoulda guessed 's much; ah whatever. Tessie, y'all have fun at work; don't get up to no mischief, y'hear?"

Sideswipe threw an arm around her shoulders and grinned up at the trucker, apparently completely unintimidated by him; which Aaron found impressive. "Don't worry, man! She's perfectly safe with us."

"See you tonight, Az." Tess smiled, allowing the Holoform to direct her to the car so that she could sink into its low frame. As Sideswipe _floored_ it down the street, and she laughed at Aaron's surprised expression behind them; she turned to her friend with a credulous look.

"Why'd you use the Holoform? You never do that when you pick me up." She questioned suspiciously. Sideswipe turned to her with a smarmy grin that just _oozed_ mischief.

"Like I said, I wanted to meet this brother of yours."

She groaned exasperatedly and threw her hands up in the air; playing on the melodrama. "What is it with you nosey robots and my freaking _personal_ life?" she cried in mock despair; her tone completely over the top and obviously 'taking the piss' as Aaron would say. Sideswipe's Holoform shrugged nonchalantly as they drove before he reached over and ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Get used to it babe, you're stuck with us now."


	42. One Step Closer

**Yay! Long chapter!**

**This one is basically a whole lot of fun, tenderness and fluff. The Autobots get to have a little bath in this chapter, and Tessa talks to OP about her father's party.**

**I hope you enjoy this one, guys :)**

**As always; all grammar errors belong to Megatron. He's such an illiterate Decepticon isn't he? ;)**

Tess still wasn't entirely sure what she should do about her father's birthday party; and about bringing Optimus to it, but she took serious thought in what Aaron had reminded her of. Her father would have rather found out earlier than later; but in a way she was sort of dreading breaking the news.

Throughout her childhood, dating had been difficult even at the _best_ of times. With two overprotective brothers (_one of whom was a rough tempered tough-guy_) and a father who felt nobody was good enough for his little girl; very few boys had ever braved all of the perils of romancing the mechanic. She had no doubts that Optimus would be more than able to diplomatically handle a situation like theirs, but she just didn't want him to _have_ to.

She stewed on it for a good part of the day while she worked.

Ironhide's machete needed sharpening; she'd refilled Jolt's Jet Prep tanks and worked on the Twins' suspension with Ratchet. However halfway through the day, she'd noticed the dirt and dust that her bots had accumulated on their mission a few days previously (_with the exception of Sideswipe who was always __pristine__ due to his own vanity_) and she was sick of _looking _at it. After a quick conversation with Lennox, Epps and Graham, Tess was now supplied with a bucket full of bottles of soap, sponges, a high pressure hose head and some car wax. She tromped into the Autobots' hangar like a woman on a mission and stood in the entrance. Dropping her bucket full of supplies onto the concrete next to her, she cupped her hands around her mouth and called out at the top of her lungs.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT! BATH TIME!"

Every head in the hangar turned to look at her, clearly confused by her sudden statement. However she made her statement a little clearer as she continued, placing one hand on her hip as she used the other to point up at each of the bots.

"You're all filthy! I can't even _remember_ the last time any of you had a wash, apart from Silver-Sparkly over there," she gestured to Sideswipe, "I want _everyone_ outside; on the tarmac. Now."

Turning on her heel, she raised a finger above her head and pointed towards the doorway; picking up her bucket of cleaning products on the way out. Mudflap and Skids gave yells of excitement and high-fived each other before strolling off towards the exit. Ratchet turned to Sideswipe and Ironhide with a perplexed look on his face.

"What…was that about?" he questioned, pointing vaguely in the direction that Tessa had just left in. The two bots shared a look with the medical officer before they turned to each other.

"Well, _I'm_ not filthy," Sideswipe said in a dignified manner before he shrugged, "but who am I to turn down a free wash. Come on 'Hide, _you're_ the one that needs it."

The stout, black weapon's specialist looked at the patches of mud that caked several of the usually sleek, black plates on his body and shrugged, "Sounds fine to me, but I'll bet she just wants an excuse to wash Prime," he looked over at the leader who gave him a shocked and borderline offended look, "What? Tell me you wouldn't enjoy it."

Optimus, who was trying to contain his sheer mortification at his weapon specialist's jibe, gave a hissing sigh and shook his head; placing his forehead in his palm exasperatedly. He wasn't _going_ to deny Ironhide's accusation, but that didn't mean he was going to be openly crass about his Tessa.

"Ironhide," he said warningly, joining the congregation as they all slowly made their way outside, "Tessa is doing her job."

With a knowing chuckle, the black mech thumped Optimus solidly on the arm before falling into step next to his friend and superior, "Whatever you say, Prime."

Tessa was already waiting for them out on the tarmac with a massively long, high pressure hose, her bucket and her giant sponges. Her hair had been piled up out of the way in its usual bun and she was squeezing soap into the giant plastic bucket while filling it with the hose water; the afternoon sun was beating down on her form but she didn't seem at all bothered. She turned the hose off and pointed the nozzle at the group, brandishing it like a gun.

"Time to pick a victim; who's going first?" she asked, one hand on her hip.

"Me! Yo, do me first!" Mudflap exclaimed, practically _bounding_ forward before Skids tackled into him, knocking him to the tarmac roughly.

"No, it's gon' be me! Yo too _ugly_!"

"That hurt man!" mudflap whined, shoving his twin, "Hey, 'f I'm so ugly, that means in needa go an' get washed _first_!"

"Guys!" Tessa called out with a teasing grin, "If you keep it up, you'll both go _last_!"

_That_ shut them up pretty quick smart.

In the end, she washed Mudflap first, only because he'd been the first to request it; Skids went after him. After they'd transformed into their alt modes, the little mechanic took every amount of care to ensure that it was a pleasant experience for them, because usually they were simply rinsed down with the hose. This time she took time to lather the soap, wash the windows and scrub in every single crack or seam of their build to make them shine. To nobody's surprise, the twins openly expressed their delight throughout the entire wash.

Sideswipe was up next.

He didn't take very long to wash, because he'd already been fairly pristine that morning when he'd ambushed her brother; the only thing he needed was a once over and a nice, polishing wax. She'd also been sure to compliment him on his decals that she had bought for him on her shopping trip. The simple, pin-striping stickers looked incredibly sleek on the silver Corvette, and he wasn't too modest to admit it; which made Tessa glad that he liked them so much. The self-confident mech was easily in the category of her best friends; although in retrospect, all of them were, really.

"Okay Sides, you're all done," she exclaimed happily with a grin, patting the rubber of his front tyre affectionately before she pulled herself up off the floor where she had been sitting; finishing the wax job around the rims. "Arcee! Your turn for some pamper time, lovely lady."

The pink motorcycle revved into a clear spot before the radio system on the bike whirred to life, "You don't have to do this for me; all I usually need is a rinse off-"

"-Cee, don't worry about it! This isn't a trouble, I promise; every girl needs to be preened over every now and again. It's normal."

Arcee gave an amused, teasing laugh before she spoke again, "Then how come I never see _you_ getting pampered or preened?"

Picking up the sponge from her bucket and slathering the soapy water onto the bike's frame, Tessa gave a shrug and laughed nonchalantly, "Yeah well, I'm not really normal; even by human standard. I mean; I'm more comfortable in a layer of grease and a grubby jumpsuit than I am in a pound of make-up and a barely-cover-all dress. You know what I mean? God, speaking of which…" she wiped the back of her hand across her forehead to get rid of some of the sweat that was accumulating there, "…_this_ jumpsuit is killing me; hang on a sec, Arcee."

Dropping the sponge into the bucket for a moment, she unzipped the suit and pushed the top half down to her waist; allowing it to gather on her hips before she tied the sleeves into a knot around them. The grey, wife-beater undershirt was much easier to work in; with the late afternoon sun having beat down on her for a good few hours, she was getting a little hot and bothered. Once she was done with her wardrobe alteration, she picked the sponge back up and resumed her task of making Arcee _shine_. The little bike didn't take long, but Tess made sure to provide the femme with all the love and care that she had given the others.

She and Arcee didn't talk often, but when they did it was nice to spend some time with someone who didn't have a male frame of mind. Sometimes male ego got a bit tiring.

Speaking of male egos, Ironhide was up next.

"Don't scratch my paint," he said gruffly, "or I'll use you for target practice."

Tessa scoffed at him, slapping the soaking wet sponge onto the hood; making the truck jolt a little at the coolness of the water. "Oh get over yourself, old man; you'd be too blind to shoot me." She retorted as she scrubbed.

She lifted the windscreen wipers off the glass and picked out some of the dried leaves that had been stuck there before she worked at it with the sponge. To her surprise, the engine of the Topkick gave a rumbling purr, Ironhide's voice coming from the hood with a sound of relief. "You have no idea how _long_ those have been bothering me."

"Well then why didn't you just use the Holoform and pick the leaves out yourself, you lazy ass? Or was it too much dexterity for that stuffy, old brain of yours?" she grinned at him, leaning over the windshield from the side to reach into the middle and pull another clump from the gap between the glass and the hood.

"I'll show you old and stuffy! You need to cool off a little." Ironhide barked.

"Huh-? EEAGH!"

Tessa squealed as the water jets on the hood of the Topkick sprayed her in the face. The poor mechanic was wedged between the side view mirror and the windscreen wipers, so by the time she managed (_in a rather flailing manner_) to pull herself out of range; her face, hair and neck were saturated. Ironhide roared with laughter as she wiped water from her eyes, glaring at the truck with vengeance.

"You _ass_, Ironhide! Now I have to wash my hair tonight!" she grabbed the hose and turned the nozzle to the highest jet stream that it had, "I _hate_ washing my hair!" she pushed the trigger on the hose and got him right on the driver side window, her teeth bared in savage vengeance. She sprayed the entire side of the truck before it accidentally hit the inside of the tyre guards; making Ironhide lurch forward a little. Tess stopped for a second, before a mischievous grin crossed her features.

"Oh my God…Ironhide…are you _ticklish_?"

"…Don't. You. _Dare_." He hissed violently.

She ignored him, instead aiming the pressure hose into the mudguards, hitting the sensitive axis of the wheels. The Topkick revved the engine violently, trying to roll back and forth to disrupt her aim, but she followed with the hose as she laughed and continued to attack him; pleased to have had her revenge.

Needless to say, it took her a little longer than usual to finally finish washing Ironhide.

Jolt was next on her list, and understandably it was much more pleasant to wash him. Although she _did_ have to warn him to shut off the electrical current in his body before she started, considering her delicate, fleshy matter; she didn't want to be electrocuted to death just by washing him.

She took the time to make the vibrant blue of the Volt stand out, being sure to clean out the dirt from the rims, digging the mud and dirt out of the finely latticed grill and waxing him to perfection. She polished the windows and did the same on the chrome decorated wheels quite fondly. In a lot of ways she still sought _approval _from Jolt because they were not classified as friends; more colleagues or acquaintances, and as such she felt that she had something to prove to him.

That she was a worthy ally.

Ratchet was one of the last to be washed, and by the time she got around to him the sun was just starting to slip beyond the horizon, casting a light across the sky that was somewhere in between orange, pink and blue.

A twilight.

The floodlights of the base had come on and now bathed the tarmac in a fluorescent, stark white glow. As Tess scrubbed the black, metal nudge-bar of the Hummer, she gave a thoughtful sigh, pursing her lips at herself.

"I wanted to ask you something, Ratch," she said finally, "if you don't mind?"

The serious, grouchy medic gave a scoffing laugh at her question; secretly pleased that she respected him enough in his role as her teacher to ask permission. She had a habit of that with him, because while they did have a mildly platonic friendship, he was her mentor more than anything else; and she treated him as such. "What's on your mind?"

She moved around to the side of the hood, biting her lip for a second before she decided to just come out and ask him.

"What's a Decepticon's biggest weakness?"

The medic wouldn't admit it, but the question surprised him a little. Whenever they worked together on any of the Autobots, or she was repair Ratchet himself under his instruction, she _always_ asked questions. It was how she learned, but usually the questions revolved around how to improve certain techniques, or how things fit together and functioned; she had _never_ asked about the actual Decepticons before. "That depends on what you mean by weakness, physical or psychological?"

"Physically. Say, hypothetically, that I needed to fend off a Decepticon in an attack-"

"-We would never let them get anywhere near you, especially not Optimus." Ratchet started, trying to assure her; but she cut him off.

"I know that, but let's say that I was dumb enough to get caught in the middle, or that they broke into the base. _Hypothetically_, what would be effective against stopping them; at least so that I could get away? I don't…want to be a liability anymore."

The medic gave a heavy sigh from the grill of the Hummer before he actually answered her, "…temperature."

Tess stopped her work for a second, looking up at the vehicle for a few seconds; then resuming her scrubbing. "Temperature…?"

"Yes. Extreme heat or extreme cold; although it is heat that damages more so, with cold temperatures we generally just go into a stasis lock. Is there…something you need to tell me?"

They both knew that Tessa couldn't lie; it was something that Ratchet actually greatly respected about the little female, because she knew she couldn't, and she didn't _try_ to. She went red in the cheeks before bowing her head to try and hide the colour.

"I…I'm working on something. An idea of something to just…defend myself, and everyone else if I need to."

He was silent for a moment, and it was deafening to her, "…A weapon, you mean…?" he said sternly.

"Yes."

"…You are aware that we will not share our technology with your race aren't you, Tessa?"

She gave him an immediate nod, "I know. I'm not asking you to tell me. I can work it out on my own, I just…it's only to protect…I mean I'm not going to, you know, go on a rampage for world domination…If you want me to throw away the designs…then I will."

He hushed her as she wiped the driver side window, "I appreciate your honesty, Tessa. And the fact that you are so willing to abort the idea out of respect to us is admirable." He paused for a second to contemplate his next words, "…We trust you. _I_ trust you. I know that our weaponry will not be used selfishly by you, unlike many of your _primitive_ brethren. If you require my assistance or my advice, I will help you where I can."

She felt her heart swell at such trust in her, and she placed a hand on the door for a second before she continued her work.

"Thanks Ratch."

Once the yellow search and rescue vehicle had been polished to the same level of perfection as the others, Tessa stretched out her joints with relish. Her back hurt, her legs were aching and her neck was stiff, but she paid it no heed for now; she only had one more vehicle left to wash.

Optimus.

It was dark as he rolled up to the spot where she had been washing the bots, and as a wind whipped across the base she gave a gasping shiver; the chilled breeze made so much more potent by her still-damp hair and shirt from her spat with Ironhide earlier. Optimus immediately picked up on it.

"Would you like to leave it; we can always wait until tomorrow if you pref-?"

"-Oh no you don't, Chief." she said quickly, "I'll warm up one I get back to work. You don't get left out; I saved you till last on _purpose_."

"…You did? Why?"

She felt her _damned_ cheeks go scarlet as she picked up a fresh sponge and placed a hand on the arch of the front wheel. Her fingers traced the paintwork before pressing her cheek to the metal on the side of the hood.

"Because then I get to take my time with you."

There was a brief moment of silence before she heard a chuckle rumble through the massive engine, his baritone voice soothing any aches she'd previously had; it still amazed her how just his _voice_ calmed her. "I appreciate the gesture then," he said calmly, "I just don't want to see you get cold."

Tess laughed and slathered the front of the truck in soapy water and got to work, ignoring the goose bumps on her arms. "I'll be fine, Chief; I'm a tough one. Besides, I actually wanted a chance to talk to you alone."

The engine of the truck started up, which surprised her, before she felt the hood heating up beneath her hands; he was trying to give her warmth. "Did you, now?" he enquired cheekily, "What about exactly?"

A nervous lump formed in her throat as she remembered the conversation she'd had with her overprotective and _insistent_ brother the previous day, but she ignored it; she needed to ask him.

"My dad is having his birthday in two weeks."

"Mm?"

She took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, "Well, every year we go to his property and celebrate it as a family. I…I told Aaron about _us_ yesterday; you and me."

"I see," he said quietly, trying to make the connection between the two topics, "and what does this have to do with your male parent's birth date?"

"Well…Aaron wants to meet you; I guess he wants to see what sort of 'person' you are." She used her fingers to make a quotation sign at the term 'person' because by all aspects, he was not human, "He thinks that you should come to Dad's birthday with us; and I have to admit I agree with him."

She had moved on to the side of the truck now, scrubbing at the chrome of the smokestacks; dipping the sponge into the bucket every so often. The subject was not unappealing to Optimus, but he was not sure about the social standing of such an event and as such, he was confused.

"But…you said this 'party' was a family gathering? Should it not be family only that is required to be there?"

A smile crossed her features at his naivety, because although he clearly didn't understand how things like this worked; he was so endearingly _adorable_ in his lack of knowledge. She dried a spot on the side of the truck and planted her lips against the metal, making sure he could feel her doing so.

"Chief, technically you and I are _dating_. That makes you a _part_ of my family; meeting my folks is just a normal part of the process."

"…Meeting your family is a part of courting for humans?"

She nodded and scrubbed at the sidestep under the door lovingly, "Yep. It's normal to-"

"-Then I shall be there."

Tess stopped for a moment; her mouth opening and closing wordlessly at the explanation that had been ripped from her tongue. He'd not even needed a reason, or insight as to _why_ it was done; all he'd needed to know was that it was customary. He still wanted to do things her way, and it warmed her heart. She trailed her fingers tenderly along the metal in thanks, a silent appreciation that he easily understood; they didn't always need words in moments like this one.

"Will it be like Lennox's 'group date'?" he asked eventually; after she had moved to the bed on the rear of the truck and had started scrubbing the chains attached to the back of the cabin. She wasn't leaving a single detail out of this wash.

"No, it's a lot simpler than that was. Casual attire, like jeans and t-shirts; we all just get together for lunch and family company. You'll be meeting my two brothers, my eldest brother's family, my dad's wife; and of course, my dad."

"But...I have already met your father, I don't understand how this is different."

Tessa scrunched up her shoulders for a moment, trying to think of the simplest way to word it without making it seem strange or complicated. "Well, that wasn't the same as this time. You met him as a commander; it was instantly a position of respect. He was the one who sought your approval as my employer. This time, _you're_ the one seeking approval from him; as my…boyfriend."

She had to cringe at the word 'boyfriend' because Optimus was no more a boy, than a mouse was a lion. He was not some _kid_, he was centuries old with wisdom beyond even the eldest of her race; he was a _man_ not a boy.

"Oh…I see. A parent must…_approve_ of a human's mate?"

Jumping down from the truck bed, Tess hauled herself up the side of the truck and managed to pull her weight onto the hood; scrubbing gently at the windshield. She felt much more 'eye-to-eye' with him this way. "Well, they don't _have _to approve; there are a lot of situations where parents might absolutely _detest_ their child's choice of partner. That doesn't mean that the two lovers can't be together, but it just makes things easier when the parents _do_ approve."

The truck rolled back a few inches, the hood warm from the gentle rumble of the engine before Optimus finally replied, "So…there is a chance that you parent will not _approve_ of me as suitable for you…?"

Tessa felt her heart drop into her stomach at his statement. It was only subtle, but she knew him well enough know to detect it; he sounded _afraid_! He was worried about what her father would think of him, of what her brothers might think; he had to know that either way their opinion was not what would determine her feelings. She pressed a hand gently to the windshield.

"Hey, hey, hey…" she murmured gently, "Look at me, Chief; can you see me right now?"

"Yes."

She stroked her thumb gently over the glass as she looked into the tinted screen before speaking again, "Listen to me, you just be your honest, wonderful self and you won't have anything to worry about."

"…Are you…how can you be certain?" he asked quietly, his tone containing an underlying worry which damn near _broke her heart_. Leaning forward a little, she pressed her forehead to the chilly glass of the windscreen and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"You're not just a Prime…" she said calmly, "You're my Optimus."

She heard him give a heavy exhale at her words; the engine warming beneath her to try and keep her warm.

"…Thank you Tessa…"

A fond smile crossed her features as she planted a kiss on the glass, fiddling with the wipers on the windshield before she sat up. "You have nothing to be nervous, or worried about, Chief. Now I want you to calm down, and relax; I'm going to wash, wax and polish this truck until you _sparkle_." She gave him a laugh and slid down from the hood to work on the other side of the truck. Optimus did as she asked and fell silent as she worked; having to be careful not to fall into a relaxed stasis at the feeling.

His Spark sung contentedly at having her, his Tessa, at his side.


	43. Start Something

**I want to let you all know, that personally I LOVE Bumblebee, I think he's an adorable and WONDERFULLY sweet character. The only reason, the ONLY reason that he hasn't really made an appearance in Primary Mechanisms apart from a brief cameo is because I'm sticking with the movies.**

**He was always with Sam in the films; which makes sense given that he's the guys guardian. Bee doesn't join N.E.S.T until sometime before the third movie, so hopefully it won't be too much longer before I can get him better integrated into the story.**

**As much as I love him though, I'll admit that it **_**is**_** a little difficult to try and write him well; what with the radio snippets and all. So, a little feedback on how I've done would be VERY much appreciated!**

**Oh and by the way, just to answer any previous theories, and to quell any possible thoughts that may come up from this chapter…**

**Tessa's Valiant is NOT a Transformer. She just talks to it like it is because she's so used to being around Autobot vehicles that it's more habit than anything else. Also, I have had a reviewer ask me if Tessa was going to become Cybertronian using the Valiant.**

**In answer to that, no; she won't be.**

**Tess won't be turning into a Cybertronian; nor will I make Optimus human. Because not only (**_**unfortunately and I hate to say that it's true…**_**) are these solutions far too 'Twilight/Mary-Sue-happy-ending' but because I want OP and Tessa's relationship to demonstrate that they love each other as they are. They don't need to change or adjust who or what they are to be together.**

**Anyhow; enough of my rambling! I hope you wonderful people enjoy this chapter! Please leave me feedback, I absolutely love hearing from you guys!**

"A paintjob; really?"

"Yep, a'ready got me a bookin' an' I'm gon' be there till real late s'afternoon."

Tessa was sitting at her dining room table with her carton of juice, having breakfast with Aaron. Since it was her day off, she'd made hot buttered waffles and cinnamon French toast; which her sibling had eaten with vanilla ice cream. She was currently munching on a plate of waffles that were swimming in butter and maple syrup; the typical breakfast they'd had when they were children.

Aaron, who'd been staying with her for just over a week now, had just informed her about his plans for a new paint scheme on his Mack Titan; showing her the designs that the consultant had given him. Tess had to admit, she was _very_ impressed with the idea they had come up with. A pristine, blue and white colour scheme while still keeping the chrome trimming of the truck; freshening up its entire look. She couldn't help but feel that Az deserved to treat himself like this; he'd had the truck for just over two and a half years now, and he'd worked it hard. It had served him well so far, and it was nice to see him do something nice for himself.

"What're y'all gonna be doin' today, Tessie? I know's yer day off an' all…"

She shrugged, "I have a friend coming over later; we're going to see if we can get that Valiant up and running."

He scoffed mockingly at his little sister, "Tessie, you bin workin' on that damn thing f'rever now! Why ain't you _finished_ it?"

She pushed the waffles around on her plate for a moment before she stuffed some into her mouth and chewed ungracefully; licking a dribble of syrup from the corner of her mouth. An indignant shrug rocked her shoulders in response to his question. "At first it was because I didn't have the money; lately it's just been the time. I'm always working, so it's hard to try and cram in tinkering time when I'm so tired at the end of the day."

Aaron gave an understanding nod and stood up, picking up his plate. He collected the empty platters and picked up Tessa's plate as well before making his way over to the sink and filling it with hot water. He turned to her with a placid, conversational tone in his voice.

"Wash or dry?"

"Dry." She replied, pushing back her chair and pulling a clean tea-towel from the oven so that she could dry the dishes. The two of them were dressed casually, both ready to go about their day's plans without having gone to much effort. Aaron was dressed in a pair of baggy denim pants that he had cut to about mid-calf to create makeshift shorts; his top half was clad in a plain black muscle shirt and a pair of flip flops were on his feet. Seeing as it was getting into summer now, the hot weather had forced _both _of them to dress for the temperature.

Tess was in a pair of ratty blue track shorts, her steel capped boots (_considering she would be working in the garage_) and one of Aaron's old, grey muscle shirts; which was so big on her that she'd been forced to bunch it into a tie at the small of her back. She'd missed being able to steal his clothes whenever she liked; it was something she'd always done when they were kids and he'd always gotten so _annoyed _at her for it.

Now that they were both adults, he didn't care so much; so long as she asked first.

As they stood in the kitchen doing the menial chore, they discussed the plan for the party the coming weekend. Aaron grinned as he made mention of how their father would react to seeing the new paint job on the truck, but Tess cut him off.

"I think we should leave your truck here on Sunday," she said quickly, "otherwise Dad will know it's you from a mile away; and that'll _totally_ ruin the surprise."

Although that was true, she _did_ have an ulterior reason for Aaron not being the one to take them in his truck. Optimus; he would not be able to go far from the Peterbilt and so he would need to be the one taking them to the property, so that the Holoform wasn't at risk of disintegrating.

"Well 'en if we ain't gon' take my truck…how're we getting' there?" he asked, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead to scratch an itch he couldn't reach due to the dishwashing gloves. Tess picked up a plate and started to dry it before she answered him.

"Optimus can drive us. Seriously Az, wait until you _see_ his truck; you'll just _love_ it."

He perked up instantaneously, his eyes bursting with curiosity. "Z'at so? Well we'll see 'bout that; what make 'n model?"

She grinned up at him cheekily, "Peterbilt 379 with a sleeping cabin in the back, _and_ a custom red and blue flame paintjob. I swear to God, it's _the_ sexiest truck you will ever see."

"Whoa, whoa, now calm down 'er, Tessie. You keep goin' on like that'n ye'll make yerself hot aroun' th' collar!" he laughed, poking her in the shoulder with the dish brush. She went insanely red at is comment, but he didn't know the real reason behind her blush; he didn't know just how _closely_ her little "boyfriend" was tied to that truck. "Sounds like a _mighty_ nice truck."

"He is…" Tessa murmured lovingly.

"He?"

She near jumped out of her skin at her mistake, jolting herself sporadically into a defensive position, "It! I-I meant _it_! _It's_ a nice truck."

Draining the sink and putting the gloves in the cabinet underneath, Aaron gave a chuckle and placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair from its high ponytail. "Yer a weird one, Tessie; I'll give ye that; but I guess that's jus' why we love ye, hey?" he pressed her head against his broad chest and planted a quick kiss in her hair before ruffling in once more and giving her another laugh, "Anyway, I needa git goin' but I'll see y'all later. Good luck with yer car, Squirt."

Still reeling from her earlier slip up, she simply gave him a smile and waved as he exited the house; leaving her alone in the kitchen to finish up her half of the dishes in the drainer. Mikaela was coming over today, considering it had been the only time both of them had been able to get away from their responsibilities to fix the Valiant. Apparently Sam had gone back to college; which N.E.S.T was paying for as a way to say thank you _and_ sorry for the ordeal in Egypt. Bumblebee had remained with Sam's parents because the boy was not allowed to have a car at campus, where he was staying; and Mikaela had told Tess she was bringing him to their little 'mechanical picnic' session.

For this reason alone, Tessa was glad that Aaron had somewhere to be today; because she couldn't truly relax and talk about the bots with Mikaela with the possibility of him overhearing. Hearing the Mack in the driveway pull out and take off down the street, she rolled her shoulders lazily and put the tea-towel back on the stove railing. With a heavy sigh, she set about tidying up the house before Mikaela got there.

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Bumblebee and Mikaela pulled up in her driveway, Tessa all but bounded down the steps to greet the two; her hair flying out behind her as she did so.

"Hey!" she greeted, giving them a small wave as the yellow Camaro rolled to a gentle stop. Out of habit from being around the Autobots on base at N.E.S.T, she placed a hand on the hood and gently traced her fingers across the paintwork. The car rumbled a little before emitting a happy chirp, and then the radio crackled to life with the sound of Stan Bush.

"**You've got the touch. You've got the pooowweeerrrr.**"

She gave a laugh at the choice of song from the little guardian as Mikaela, who was dressed in some old, black board-shorts and a ratty tank-top in preparation for their grubby task, exited the vehicle with a scoff. "He's just showing off for you," she smiled, placing a gentle hand on Bumblebee's hood, "he's a little bit of a charmer, aren't you Bumblebee?"

The little auburn haired mechanic laughed and shook her head in amusement at his antics, "Well, I hate to have to disappoint you, Bee; but I'm spoken for."

"**Oh these words you wound me – unholy temptress - These violent delights have violent ends. - Who – is this man? – my dear.**" Cuts and clips of songs, religious preaches and even a Shakespeare line were jumbled together to form the little Autobot's sentences and Tess found it endearingly adorable. Mikaela was silent for a moment, but then asked a question before Tessa could answer Bumblebee's mashed up enquiry.

"So, you and Optimus are official then?"

The mechanic in question blushed scarlet and began to itch the back of her neck nervously before she answered, "…yes, we are." Bumblebee suddenly jolted forward slightly and made a noise like a vinyl record being skipped or rewound before a spluttering of aired lines made their way from the hood.

"**Now back up there lil' lady – Shawdy back up say whaaaat – What's this conspiracy?**" he played, revving the engine a little bit before rolling back and forth on his wheels. That was when Tessa remembered, Bumblebee wasn't around the Autobots these days; he wasn't in the loop on what had happened between her and Optimus recently. All he'd been aware of was that they'd all gone on a group outing; not about Tessa and his commander being _romantically_ involved. With a heavy, embarrassed sigh, she put a hand on the hood of the Camaro and looked up at Mikaela; addressing both of them.

"Let's talk about this while we work on the car."

Once Tess had cleared out the free spot in her garage, Bumblebee parked in there right next to the Valiant so that they could shut the garage door and work in peace without the Camaro's true nature being revealed to her neighbours. She filled Bee and Mikaela in on everything that had happened between her and Optimus as of late, having to stop and laugh when the car would interject with wolf whistles or a clip from a comedy rerun.

She and Mikaela worked hard on the Valiant; Tess had already known what needed to be done but she'd never had the time to be able to complete the job. An extra pair of hands made all the difference today; because they managed to get it finished by late afternoon. Rocking back on her heels and wiping her hands on a rag, Tess grinned up at Mikaela in pure glee as an idea raced through her mind.

"I think we should take it for a test drive," she exclaimed happily, "see how my baby runs!"

Mikaela, whose hair was piled up out of the way after getting the ends of it dipped in oil by accident, smiled back at the older girl, "I think that sounds like an awesome idea. We should go for ice cream, this weather is killing me; you drive the Valiant and I can take Bumblebee." Tessa nodded in response, wiping her hands on Aaron's shirt and making her way to the kitchen door; which lead into the garage. She stopped on the little wooden step at the door and kicked off her boots, stuffing her socks into them before turning to the other girl.

"Micky, you want to borrow some flip-flops? I have a spare pair I don't use." She asked, standing up straight and stretching her back; she then slid her feet into the pair of beach thongs that she'd placed at the door. It was days like this that she was glad she'd invested in the portable air-conditioning unit that she kept it the garage; it made working on vehicles in the summer so much more pleasant. Mikaela answered Tessa by flashing a thumbs-up and she patted her hand on the Camaro's hood.

"So how about it, Bumblebee; sound good?"

In response, a loud round of ice cream truck music blared from the speakers as Bee revved his engine excitedly, making both of the girls laugh before Tess spoke, "I think he likes the idea."

Excusing herself for a few minutes, Tessa went inside and retrieved the spare flip-flops for Mikaela. When she got back to the garage, the massive outside door was open and Bumblebee had reversed onto the driveway with Mikaela leaning on the hood waiting for her. Bee flashed his headlights excitedly and honked his horn to signal for his human's mate to hurry up and get in. Locking the kitchen door behind her and grabbing the remote for the garage, Tess picked up the key to the Valiant from the work table and grinned broadly as she opened the door. The rusted, cornflower blue vehicle had been sitting stationary in her house for so long that she was actually _excited_ to be able to see if all their hard work had paid off. Sliding the key into the barrel, she held her breath, pushed in the clutch; and turned it.

A brief spluttering was heard before the engine rumbled to life, the sound playing pure _music_ to her ears.

"It works!" she exclaimed excitedly, turning to look at Mikaela who was cheering from inside Bumblebee's cabin, "My little Vali _works_! YEAH!" she pumped her fists ecstatically before motioning to Mikaela and Bumblebee, "Okay, let's go guys!"

The other girl nodded and said something to the Camaro before it back out of the driveway and pulled into the street, waiting for Tessa. She drove forward, considering the Valiant had been reversed into the garage, and pressed the button on the remote to close it. She pulled out in front of Bumblebee and led the way to the local ice cream shop.

As she drove, Tessa traced her hands over the wheel lovingly and shifted the gears with ease. It felt so _wonderful_ to be in control of a car again, and her driving capabilities certainly hadn't suffered in the absence. "You're so beautiful, baby." She exclaimed wistfully to it.

To her surprise, she was actually felt a moment of sheer _disappointment_ when the radio didn't crackle to life and answer her back.

Having spent so much time driving in vehicles that drove themselves and that responded to her conversational manner; it was a little surreal to be in control of the car herself without the chance of an Autobot taking the wheel. In a way, it made her feel like the car lacked character; but she brushed the thought aside. Her baby had _plenty_ of character; she just didn't speak. Tess suddenly realized that she was actually internally _arguing_ with herself over the car! One half of her wished it was like the Autobots, the other half knew it was perfect the way it was. Oh the drama of a life with aliens…

As they pulled out onto a double strip, she saw Bumblebee pull up alongside her and rev forward a little bit. Tess looked to Mikaela in the driver's seat; who pointed at the Camaro with an "it's not me, it's him" gesture, which meant that Bee was driving…

Grinning to herself, she flashed Mikaela an almost _villainous_ smile before she brought her hand down to the stick-shift of her Valiant and pressed her foot into the clutch, revving the engine to move forward a little in challenge. To her delight, the lights at the intersection had just turned red, and the two cars were equal on the white line; her heart raced a little when she realized their opportunity.

"So you want to race, Bumblebee…?" she murmured to herself, twining her fingers on the gears to steady her hand and hovered her foot anxiously over the clutch before addressing her car once more, "…Let's show him what we've got, Vali."

Licking her lips nervously, she turned to Mikaela, who raised both hands in surrender; showing that this race was between Tessa and Bee, the Valiant and the Camaro. She was having no part in it; if anything she was curious to see who would actually win. Both engines revved furiously as the cars going the opposite direction started to slow to a halt; Tess felt her heart beat just a little bit faster. While it was true that in her teens she'd participated in a few friendly races on the backs streets for kicks, it had been years since she'd done anything like _this_. The anticipation and intensity of hers and Bee's competitiveness with killing her; and she turned to Mikaela once more before nodding with a grin.

"You can do this, baby." She whispered, despite knowing that the car was not going to respond to her. Her eyes focused on the lights across the way from her, and at the very last second; she threw the car into gear.

Then the light went green.


	44. Burn It To The Ground

**Wow…this chapter actually started out being really bland and boring; and I was going to cut it off shortly after Bumblebee and Mikaela leave.**

**The phone conversation wasn't intended to go on the way it did; I was going to keep it brief, but it ended up just writing ITSELF!**

**Anyway, it was difficult to try and write this chapter because I've had a hell of a day. My parents have been talking about splitting up, so as you can probably imagine I was feeling pretty crappy today. Don't worry, I won't be stopping the story at all; if anything it's the only escape I currently have at the moment.**

**As always, reviews are appreciated and love; but today that is **_**especially**___**so, because I could really use some cheering up. I apologize if that sounds selfish :S**

**Anyhow, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, because towards the end of it, the flirty humour just makes me smile so, so much. Also, I hope you enjoy the race between Tessa and Bumblebee; despite it being a brief scene.**

Time stood still for a brief moment as she watched the light change from red to green, but with a reaction born only out of sheer practice; Tessa floored it.

Both she and Bumblebee shot forward, the vehicles lurching from the horsepower of the engines. Her Valiant may have been an old, classic model; but her baby was _anything_ but washed up. The engine was powerful, and had been made entirely from scratch; pieced together by multiple different vehicles to serve its purpose. As she shifted through the gears by pure muscle memory, she felt her heart beat a little faster. Bumblebee was gaining on her, and she wouldn't stand for it.

"Come on Vali girl, show him what you've got!" she hissed to her car, feeling it pull ahead just a fraction. What they were doing was so wrong, so _illegal_; but by _Hell_ her heart was racing, and it felt so good. A loud, whirring noise sounded from next to her, and she spotted Bumblebee whoosh past her; his tailpipe glowing with a blue flame from its exhaust.

Cybertronian fuel!

Tess put down the window in a rage and screamed out at the yellow Camaro as she flew down the road. "_CHEATER_!" she roared furiously, shifting the gears and slamming her foot down on the accelerator _hard_.

She caught up, but not enough. Her eyes were focused on the next set of lights; their unspoken finish line. "Come on," she hissed, "Come on, come on, come _on_!" The gears were as high as they could go now, and Tessa was out of options; all she could do now was floor it and pray.

Apparently, there was a higher power smiling down on her.

A truck pulled out from an office building and almost collided with Bumblebee, causing the yellow Camaro to swerve violently and spin out. Tessa screamed and pulled the wheel to the side, shooting around the Autobot and losing momentum; but she was ahead…she was _ahead_!

As soon as the initial shock was past, and she knew that Bee and Mikaela were unharmed, she hung out the window with a laugh.

"That's what you get for _cheating_, Bee!" she cried, before shifting the Valiant back into appropriate gear and breaking for the finish line. She was going to win, she could _feel_ it; the mark was right ther-

"_Bumblebee_?"

The competitive young bot had put all the power he had into his Energon boosters and was catching up to her; already he was out of view of her rear-vision mirror, which meant he was coming up on her blind spot.

"Shit, shit, _shit_!" she cried, shifting gears and flooring it once more, "Come on baby! Go, go, _GO_!"

Neck and neck, tyre to tyre; it was so close. Good _God_ if she hadn't been the one driving, she'd have been biting her nails down to the bone; the finish line was metres away now. She gave a yell as she bared her teeth and floored the accelerator one last time to gain herself some speed, not watching the Camaro that was in her peripheral vision; she didn't want to know who was winning. However, only _inches_ before she reached the mark, the yellow Autobot cut a few centimetres in front; just enough to push his nose in front.

Both cars crossed the line and skidded to a halt.

Tessa had lost.

But to her surprise, she started to laugh. It was hysterical, with a manic _lunacy_ about it. She had lost, yes, but she'd had so much _fun_ losing! With the adrenaline coursing through her body, teamed with the sheer freedom at having been in control of a car for the first time in _forever_; she was experiencing something akin to a high. Not to mention it was a _miracle_ that they hadn't been caught by the police with their little drag race.

"Mikaela!" Tess called from the car, "Let's get going! I want my ice cream!"

Bumblebee chirped excitedly and made a U-turn to fall in behind her as she drove off towards their destination.

-0-0-0-0-0-

On their way home from the ice cream parlour, the drive was much more pleasant. The sun was sinking just below the horizon, and they'd had a wonderful time eating ice cream and sipping soda in the back seat of the Camaro.

Both Tess and Bumblebee had gotten their competitive rush out of their systems and were driving along side by side quite leisurely now; just cruising. After they'd visited the parlour, Mikaela had decided to ride with Tess in the Valiant so that she was able to talk to her about how things were with Optimus.

Bumblebee had evidently been incredibly miffed at being left out of the loop, but his human's mate had assured him that it was strictly 'girl talk', so like any other male; he didn't want to know the scary inner workings of the human female mind.

He let them drive separate.

However he had shown his rebellion by blaring loud rock music out the open windows so that they could hear it from the Valiant, which as he overtook them at a set of lights (_with AC/DC roaring from the speakers_) made them laugh insanely.

"He's quite a car!" Tess laughed, watching him weave in and out of cars for a few moments before dragging back and staying alongside them. Whether he was ahead or behind them, he never strayed far from view; protecting them.

"Yeah," Mikaela smiled, "Sam's missing him a lot. Anyway; _you_ didn't answer my question!"

The girl flushed scarlet as she drove, "Uh…what was the question again?" but they both knew that she was trying to stall her answer as much as she could. It was terribly _embarrassing_ for Tessa because she didn't like having a fuss made over her; particularly when it involve her romantic life.

"How did it happen?" Mikaela asked, reusing the same question she'd said in the first place, "When did you to _actually_ kiss?"

If the auburn haired young woman went any redder, she was going to look like a beetroot. However she took in a deep breath and answered the question regardless of her own embarrassment. Despite being uncomfortable about it, it was actually _nice_ to have a female friend to confide in; usually Riley's wife Emma was the closest thing she had.

"Well…it was about…a month and a bit ago, I think. We don't really…keep track, you know? He'd been avoiding me, after that group date we all went on."

"What, really; why?"

Tess hunched her shoulders for a moment before she answered, "It was something to do with his Spark; you know, that energy they have instead of a heart?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Well…he said that it wanted some sort of 'claim' on me; possessive or something. I guess that because _he_ wanted to do things the human way and take it slow, his Spark wasn't cooperating. I think that made it difficult to be around me…" she glanced briefly at Mikaela, who had suddenly got a doe-eyed, wistful look on her face; before turning her gaze back to the road in front of her.

"He wanted to make you feel normal, right?" she asked gushingly.

Tess smiled to herself and gave a shrug, "Yeah…I guess he did."

Her heart warmed at the thought of the way he constantly tried to sacrifice himself for the gain of others. Being human wasn't natural for him because he w_asn't_ human; and she wanted him to see that he didn't have to be something he wasn't just to try and make her happy. While it was certainly true enough that they both made sacrifices and adjustments to be together, that wasn't unexpected; even the most _human_ relationships required growth and alterations from both parties. Tess just didn't want to see him try and change the essence of who, or what, he was just to be with her.

"That's just so…_romantic_!" Mikaela exclaimed, laughing to herself at the thought, "I honestly would never have thought him the romancing type."

Tessa laughed brightly at the thought of Optimus; suddenly granted with the image of him surrounded by Playboy Bunnies, dressed in a Hugh Heffner robe. She almost snorted at the thought. "Yeah, I know what you mean. He's more of the completely modest, just-between-the-two-of-us type. Everything he does, he puts his whole heart into it. Well…_Spark_ into it."

The two girls glanced at each other, and then started to giggle; taking small pleasure in the chance to be able to just act like a pair of normal human women rather than associates of a group of alien refugees. As much as Tess knew she wouldn't admit it allowed…

…it was nice to remember what it felt like.

As both the Valiant and the Camaro pulled up in the driveway, Tessa pulled a smile as Optimus came into her thoughts. She knew, right down to her very core, that even though it was wonderful to have a nice, normal afternoon; she wouldn't have traded the Autobots and the memories she had with them, for all the money or Skittles in the world. Turning to Mikaela, she saw that the teenager was leaning on the hood of the little blue muscle car, patting it tenderly with a grin.

"I think it's pretty safe to say that we did an amazing job on this car today. It runs beautifully."

The older girl nodded, unable to hide her proud expression, "That she does. I really, _really_ appreciate the help Mikaela; you're a Godsend." The teen waved off her compliment with a smile.

"Don't mention it; it made for a great distraction. Truth be told the distance between Sam and I gets tough sometimes," she gave a shrug before grinning up as Tessa and pushing herself off the hood, "anyway I'd better go. I'm cooking dinner for my dad and me tonight, so I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Absolutely. I'll let you know how it goes on Sunday, thanks again for the help Micky."

Mikaela laughed as Bumblebee opened the driver's side door and his radio whirred to life loudly, allowing both of the girls to hear him play a snippet from the children's show; Bear In The Big Blue House.

"**Goodbye, goodbye, good friends, goodbye. Cause now it's time to go.**" He chirped happily before playing another snippet; song lyrics from Tell Me Goodbye by BigBang, "**Tell me goodbye, oh, tell me goodbye.**" With a laugh, Tessa gently put a hand on Bumblebee's hood and rubbed the metal with her fingertips; the same way an owner might stir up a new puppy.

"I had a good time with you two today, Bumblebee," she started, a cheeky smirk crossing her features as she decided to tease him, "even if you _do_ cheat when you race." The Camaro gave a whining noise of protest, revving the engine and pressing into her hand defensively, making her scoff and shake her head in response, "It's okay, Bee; we still love you anyway. Now, you make Mikaela gets home safe big guy."

A happy rev sounded from the Camaro before the two human females bid each other one last goodbye and he reversed out of the driveway and flashed his headlights. She waved as he sped away impressively, clearly showing off for the two girls; which made Tessa laugh again. She really had thoroughly enjoyed her time with Mikaela and Bumblebee, but the adrenaline of her adventure had certainly left her looking forward to bedtime. As she opened the garage and parked the Valiant, she found herself (_not for the first time_) wishing that she never had to leave the base at all.

As much as she enjoyed her days off every now and again, she found that she missed her robots far too much to be away from them. They were like her family; and for almost a year now, they'd been the closest thing she'd had to living with family again. It was not so bad currently, since she had Aaron with her for a little while longer; but after their father's birthday Az's holiday time would be up, and he'd have to go back to work. Then she'd have to readjust to a quiet house and solitary rostered days off.

She left her shoes at the garage door, and upon entering the kitchen and shutting the door behind her, it took her all of a few seconds to realize that Aaron wasn't back from the custom painter's yet. The momentary silence gave her an empty feeling in her chest; she always missed her brother when they had to say goodbye, because she never knew when she'd see him again next. The same could be said for her other brother as well, but Riley lived in one place and was never too far away; he was always able to arrange a get together or a coffee lunch. The middle son's life on the road didn't give much opportunity for a social life, and just the realization that he would be hitting the asphalt again next week made Tessa fell an overwhelming sense of loss.

She needed some company, and she knew just who she wanted.

Pulling a packet of Skittles out of the pantry (_and wrinkling her nose in annoyance at having found them behind a box of Aaron's cigarettes_) she pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled through her contacts until she found the classified number of Lennox's that he'd given her to contact him.

She hit dial and leaned against the counter as she waited.

The phone rang about four times before she heard a distinctive click; and then a familiar voice run down the line, "_This is Major Lennox._"

"Hey Will, it's Tessa." She said with a smile, playing with the scratches in the kitchen counter as she spoke to him.

"_Tess? Hey; what's up? Everything okay?_"

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine; I just wanted you to pass on a message for me," she heard an affirmative 'sure' from the other end of the call before she continued, "can you ask Optimus to tap the frequency and call my cell? I…missed him today; I'd like to talk to him."

She heard a knowing chuckle come from Lennox, and then he replied to her smoothly with a smile evident in his voice. "_Not a problem, Tess. Stand by, okay?_"

"Sure thing. Thanks Lennox."

She hung up the phone and smiled to herself, her heart suddenly aflutter. It was like being in high school all over again; getting a phone call from the boy she had a crush on. In spite of herself, she gave a giggle and chewed her bottom lip; holding the cell phone eagerly in her hands as she made her way to her bedroom to change clothes.

She tossed the track shorts into the wash hamper, considering they were covered with dirt and grime from her garage work that day; in fact _most_ of her favourite clothes were permanently stained in some way or another. Reaching into her drawers, she pulled out a pair of baggy, white cotton shorts that came to her knees and a threadbare maroon tank top; both of which she quickly tugged on just as her phone started to ring. The number on the screen came up with 'unknown caller' but she knew exactly who it was; a broad smile crossed her face as she pressed the 'answer' button.

"Hello?" she answered, hearing Optimus over the other end of the line as he replied to her.

"_Lennox said you needed to speak to me_?" he asked her, clearly sounding a tiny bit worried; probably thinking there had been some sort of problem.

"No," she said cheekily, "…I _wanted_ to speak to you, Chief. There's a big difference between the two."

A rumbling chuckle made its way down the phone before he responded to her, "_Well then, what did you __want__ to talk to me about_?" Tessa absently chewed a Skittle as she answered without thinking first.

"Your sexy back bumper?"

"…_My…what_?"

In an instant, her last sentence replayed in her head and her face went as red as a hot kettle being set on fire, "_Nothing_! I-I mean…uh-_what_?" she squeaked, nearly choking on her Skittle, "I…I…um-"

"You know," he rumbled gently, "I'd not have thought you to be…the admiring type."

_Oh God I probably look like a hot-boiled lobster right about now_...she thought, gripping her face in mortification. "I-I'm not…I mean-I _don't_! Well…I _do_, but not-not in a _weird_ way! I just…I mean-"

"_Tessa…_" Optimus cut her off gently, knowing full well what she probably looked like, if her rambling embarrassment was anything to go on, "…_do you have any idea how __beautiful__ you sound when you do that_?"

Okay, _now_ she nearly choked.

"B-beautiful? What? Whe-When I do _what_?" she squeaked once more, unable to shake her sheerly _mortifying_ blush. Over the line, she heard Optimus give a chuckle; one his his laughs that gave her chills whenever she heard it.

"_That_," he murmured to her, "_that pattern in your speech where you can't find anything to say; given that you are unable to lie in any way_. _When you __stutter__._"

Wishing that a hole would just swallow her up and end her humiliation, she decided to try and make light of it by joking with him, "Great…now you'll probably think I'm some pervert who's going to grope you any chance I get…" she mumbled.

"…_It would not be the first time you've done so_."

Tess gave a laugh at his comment, amused by his tone, but when the actual words of his statement hit her, she had to stop. _Hold on, did he say… Not…the first time_?

"Wait…what? What do you mean by that?" she asked.

Optimus suddenly felt a slight pang of regret at having clued her in to his joke, but despite the sudden embarrassment he felt at the realization, he wasn't going to lie to her. She had the right to know, after all.

"_Do you…recall the drive we took together, when you asked me…to let you drive_?" he began, listening intently to her breathes over the frequency.

"Yeah…what about it?"

He gave a heavy, hissing sigh from his compressor valve and continued cautiously, trying to figure out how to word it without it sounding inappropriate. "_Well…you are aware of the high sensitivity of an Autobot's sensors…correct_?"

"Yes."

"_Usually I would keep these sensors…__inactive__ while a human is in the cabin; it's easier to drive…but even from the earliest days, I never deactivated them around you. I…__enjoyed__ being able to sense you, where you were…sense your touches. Looking back now it was perhaps selfish on my part, but as it turns out I got dealt my punishment for that selfishness; during that drive_."

_Now_ she was curious! Her mind reeled back to that drive, trying to remember every detail of the trip. "You…you braked and spun out when _I_ started driving," she said before a thought crossed her mind and she gasped in horror, "Oh my God! Chief, was it something I did? Did I _hurt _you?"

Something that resembled a scoff escaped him as he thought about the irony in her question; then he gave another bracing sigh, "_No, Tess, you did not harm me. In fact it was…quite the __opposite__. When you went to change the gears of the truck…well…there are sensor nodes on the shift as well. They are…__particularly__ sensitive_." He struggled with himself, trying to find the appropriate term that he sought, feeling his facial plates burn with Energon at the topic; he'd never _dealt_ with something like this before…

Tessa was confused, trying to grasp the situation that she couldn't quite wrap her head around, "So then, what does that mean? That I distracted you by activating sensors…in the _gearstick_? How does that…"

Oh Primus save him, he was just going to come straight out with it, "…_The equivalent for your race would be a male human's arousal_."

The line was silent for a few seconds, which then stretched into a full minute before he tried to break the silence.

"_Tessa-_?"

"You mean…are-are you saying that I…OH MY GOD DID I ACTUALLY _GROPE_ YOU? Ch-Chief I-Why didn't you _tell_ me? Oh my God! Oh my _GOD_! I'm so sorry, I-I didn't…I didn't even _think_ that it…Oh holy Hell…How many times is it now that I've been caught out feeling you up?"

She gripped her face in her hands and gave a frustrated, highly embarrassed growl, to which Optimus laughed; as though he actually found her mortification _amusing_!

"_I will confess, I can't say that…it was at all __unpleasant__. But in future, a little warning, perhaps_?"

Tess let go of her face and stared vacantly for a moment in shock. Had he just said…? A sudden cheeky smirk crossed her features as she sat comfortably on her bed; her embarrassment rapidly subsiding in the wake of his flat out _admission_.

He was giving her permission to _touch_ him.

_Oh Hell, I could have so much __fun__ with this…_ she thought mischievously, "I'll keep that in mind next time, Chief…" she murmured amusedly, running her fingers through her hair to try and calm the butterflies currently running amok in her belly. She flopped down onto her back on top of her bed before continuing to speak; a little confused about something, "So, does that mean that it's the same in _all_ of the Autobots car forms?"

"_No_," he said calmly; clearly as ready to move on from the embarrassing topic of himself as she was, "_we are all designed differently; as far as I am aware I am the only one with the sensor nodes located in the gear shift. In a way this is fortunate, because I am very rarely 'driven in' by humans. In fact since our arrival on your planet, you are the first to actually attempt to __drive_."

"So, if I was to drive Ratchet, or Ironhide or something; they wouldn't have the same…_response_ that you did?"

"_No. Their personal sensors are located elsewhere; more concealed than my own I believe_."

Tessa smiled as she tucked a hand under her pillow lazily, the phone still clasped to her ear, "Good to know. I'd hate to accidently administer them the same…_affection_ as I would show you…"

"_I should hope so_." He rumbled, a defensive growl edged in his voice. Tessa recognized it instantly as that possessive, protective streak; he unconsciously did not like her mentioning romantic affection for anyone else. Her grin grew wider.

"You know, Chief," she murmured, feeling her voice unintentionally drop to a purr, "you sound so _sexy_ when you're jealous."

There was a brief hiss as she heard him cycle an intake of oxygen before she heard him chuckle fondly, her own smile growing fondly in response, "…_I think…that we should stop before this conversation…gains any more heat_." He said gently, a heavy sigh escaping his lips, "_You will be here tomorrow_?"

She gave a soft laugh, hearing the hope in his voice; so innocent and genuine that it made her heart flutter, "Yes I will. By the way, could you pass on a message to Lennox for me?"

"_Mm_?"  
>A grin crossed her features at the thought of the beautiful blue Valiant sitting in her garage right that minute, "Tell him that I don't need a lift to base anymore; I have a car now. It's no Autobot, but it gets me where I need to go; so I'll be driving myself from now on."<p>

Optimus chuckled at her comment about the car 'being no Autobot' because it showed that she acknowledged just how special she thought they all were. It warmed his Spark to know it. "_I will tell him_," he murmured gently, "_I will see you tomorrow morning_."

"Without a doubt, Chief." Tess giggled, "Goodnight."

"_Goodnight…_"

As she heard the line click and go dead, she closed her eyes gently. With a secretive smile, she pressed the phone closer to her mouth and whispered something that she was not _quite_ yet ready for Optimus to really hear; something that she wanted to wait just a _tiny little_ bit longer before actually saying it to him.

"I love you…"


	45. The Feel Good Drag

**Sorry about the little bit of a wait guys; you know I love you whether I post daily or not! Hahaha. Not much to say about this chapter, it's mostly just filler with a touch of fluff at the end.**

**Anyhow, I'd better be off; I need to get to work :) As always, grammatical errors are the fault of Megatron.**

**Megatron: "STOP **_**SAYING**_** THAT!"**

**Author: "Oh, **_**shut it**_** you overgrown toaster!"**

**Anyway, ENJOY!**

Surprisingly, Tess woke up early the next morning with butterflies in her stomach; eager to drive herself to work. She'd showered, dressed and had breakfast in the span of an hour, which was a fair accomplishment for her considering that _usually_ she would just stand in the shower until the hot water ran out. Given the increasingly warm weather of later, she opted to dress a little cooler today.

A pair of men's navy blue work shorts that stopped at her knees gave her some relief from what she knew would be a sweltering day, and a thin, grey cotton tank top kept her top half from roasting. Despite still having to wear her steel capped boots, she was relatively comfortable considering.

Tiptoeing into the room Aaron was staying in, she dug into his things until she found his old trucker cap; something that she could use to keep the sun out of her eyes. The room was still relatively dim, only a small amount of light coming in underneath the drawn shades on the window; the room was also considerably clean, despite her brother's tendency to be a bit of a pig. A loud snort nearly made her jump, but it took the span of a millisecond for her to realize it was Aaron. He was a very loud sleeper, and made all sorts of strange noises while he dreamed. When they were children, Tessa had always teased him about the fact that he 'snored like a troll'. With an affectionate smile, she leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Bye Az," she whispered, "I'm borrowing your hat."

A sleep laden mumble was her only answer, which made her laugh under her breathe before she gently ruffled his hair and left the room; quietly shutting the door behind her. She tucked the cap onto her head and pulled her ridiculously long ponytail through the gap in the back; tying it up into a messy bun afterwards. Double checking that all the doors were locked, she picked up her things and headed out the kitchen door into the garage.

The little blue Valiant was waiting for her in its spot, the faded paintjob and rusted bumper had never looked more beautiful. Sure, the body of the vehicle still required some work; but she was a running project, so Tess had plenty of time down the track to fix her up. Pulling open the door and pressing the button on her keys for the garage door, she slid herself in behind the wheel with a dopey smile.

"It's just you and me this time, Vali," she said tenderly as she ran a thumb over the steering wheel and ignited the engine, "show me what you can do…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

After having gone through a security check at the entrance of Diego Garcia to make sure her car wasn't a Decepticon (_it sounded dumb, but she supposed that you never knew what car was what alien these days_) Tess happily drove across base to the Autobots' hangar; eager to show them her baby.

Deliberately, she revved the engine and managed to perform a rather nice donut just outside the entrance, earning the attention of several of the bots before she parked it out of the way next to the entrance. Sideswipe was the first one out onto the tarmac, and when he saw the Valiant he laughed as she climbed out and stood proudly beside it.

"Oh Tess, please don't tell me you actually _drive_ this hunk of scrap metal." He teased fondly, bending down to get a closer look at it. Pulling a miffed expression, she tipped up rim of Aaron's hat on her head and kicked Sideswipe in the foot, making a loud _clang_ as she did so.

"Hey! That's _my_ piece of scrap metal you're talking about there! I built her from the guts up, and she runs _gorgeously_, thank you very much!" she snapped defensively, a teasing grin on her face. Sideswipe laughed at her quick defence of the car before he looked at the Valiant with an apparently thoughtful expression.

"Well, I guess she _is_ kind of cute." He went to say something else, but Ironhide interjected with his own opinion.

"But it's rusted…and faded…?" he said with a mockingly perplexed tone; but Tessa was ready for his jibe.

"Yeah well so is your _face_ you cranky old pick-up! She runs perfect. Strap a gun to her hood and she'd kick Decepticon _ass,_ my friend."

Ironhide roared with laughter and bent down to address the little human female, "Like slag she would! You sound awfully sure of yourself, Squishy." He gave her as close to a grin as he could and placed a massive palm on the top of her head, the metal appendage near swallowing her, "Too bad you'll never be _in_ a battle to prove it."

"Oh yeah, says who?" she teased, not at all serious in her argument. Ironhide scoffed and gestured a thumb to Optimus, who was standing quietly at the hangar door simply observing the exchange between his weapon specialist and the object of his affection.

"Says Prime." The mech said smugly. Behind him, Optimus gave a single nod of confirmation, though he did not appear upset by Tessa's jest about being a part of battle; he knew she wasn't serious. His Tess knew better than to wish such things.

With a laugh, the mechanic crossed her arms and looked up at Optimus with a cheeky smile, "Aww, Chief just wouldn't let me go into battle because it wouldn't be fair on the Decepticons. They'd be too terrified of my _guns_!" uncrossing her arms, she flexed her biceps with a silly grin slapped across her face. Behind her she heard Ironhide scoff with sarcastic amusement. He really was just a robotic version of Aaron.

"You have about as much upper body strength as one of those Earth chickens." He retorted snidely, poking her in the back with one finger, causing her to topple forwards with a laugh. She seemed to be in an incredibly happy mood this morning, and Optimus had to wonder if it indeed had something to do with the car she had driven to base on her own. As he observed the old, blue muscle car, he found himself struck with a thought.

It suited her.

The car was vintage, rusted and would easily be mistaken for something that couldn't accomplish what she claimed it could. Tessa was much the same, in his eyes. She was a female mechanic; something that apparently was not excessively common among humans. Males seemed inclined to underestimate her, to doubt what she could do.

Personally, now that he'd seen her work and what she was capable of; he would allow nobody but herself or Ratchet to repair him and his team. He had _no doubt_ as to what she could accomplish; given the chance.

With a smile at her boastful antics, he approached the group from the door and knelt down beside her; his elbow gears rested on his knees. "You seem happy this morning." He stated in an observant tone, touching her carefully on the head with one finger; a relaxed and languid demeanour being expressed in the action.

Tess looked up at him with a grin, her eyes practically _beaming_ with life, "Absolutely!" she replied enthusiastically; ducking out from underneath his touch to approach his leg and rest a hand on his foot, "I got to drive to work for the first time in forever!"

His thought processor instantly returned to their conversation from the previous night, and as it did, he found himself smiling down at her; feeling almost…_playful_.

"I didn't realize you missed it so much… Perhaps I'd best let you drive more often with _me_; so that you do not…feel deprived."

The comment was so out of character for him, and he felt embarrassed just saying it, but oh _Primus_ it was worth it to watch the shocked look cross her features, and that rosy red dust her cheekbones. She had no idea just how wonderful she looked to him when she did that.

"You-?" she looked up at him with her jaw hanging open before she became unable to hide her grin and thumped him in the foot with the side of her fist, "You dirty old _perv_!" she squeaked, "I can't believe that you just _said_ that!"

She was laughing at him now, unable to hide her grin at his obvious attempt to flirt with her.

Tessa had had relationships before (_not a __lot__, but she'd had them_) and she'd had her partners at the time display affection for her. But not once could she recall a time when anyone had made her feel like Optimus did.

His flirts, jests and advances were not part of any scheme to get her to sleep with him; nor were any of his affections pressuring in any way. He respected her and acknowledged her as an _equal_, someone to be treasured and cared for. Not to mention that none of her previous relationship partners had been able to give her _butterflies_ like he did; the reactions from a simple touch or gesture each had the power to leave her completely breathless.

It felt impossible to be without him now.

Suddenly, she was snapped out of her revere by Optimus bringing his hand flat to the ground, palm up for her to climb on. She did so without hesitation; it was a routine for them now, it felt natural. Comfortably holding onto his thumb, she looked him straight in the optics and pointed at the space between his head, and the smoke stack on his left shoulder.

"Up." She said with a grin, realizing just how childish it sounded when she did so.

However he simply gave her a chuckle and gently raised his hand higher so that she could climb up there and sit next to his face. Out if habit, she grabbed onto the finial gear; noticing a very minute twitch when she did so.

"Can you feel when I do that?" she asked, leaning forward a little bit so that she could see him as she spoke.

"Yes. Our metal is highly receptive, Tessa. We feel touches as well as human skin does."

Tess nodded thoughtfully before turning to the gear and tracing the Cybertronian glyphs on it tenderly. "I love these," she murmured to him, her grip tightening as they walked away from the group without any need to make it known; they all knew what Tess and Optimus were like when it came to their own little world, "they're cool. What do they say?"

He halted in his steps for a moment, obviously having never really needed to think about it before; nobody had enquired about the markings on his face since his arrival to Earth. With a chuckle, he brought a finger up to his shoulder and traced over Tessa's hair affectionately, as one would a rare and delicate bird.

"The closest human equivalent for your race that I could think of would be the tribal marking of 'clans' or such. A rite of passage, I suppose. These were engraved into my metal when I became Prime." He lowered his hand from Tess and instead started to touch the marks upon his facial plates; appearing as though he had completely forgotten that they were there. The little mechanic on his shoulder gave a smile and a soft laugh before she stopped; realizing what it was that he had just said.

"Wait…when you _became_ Prime? What…does that mean?" she asked, confused by the statement, "You weren't born a Prime? Or…_built_, a Prime?"

He shook his head slowly before responding, "No. Those who are called Prime are ones who have earned it through action. It isn't just a name, it is a title; a mark of leadership."

She had become fairly quiet now as she pondered this new information, "Hm," she murmured thoughtfully, "So, before…you were…just Optimus?" she cringed at how it sounded when the words came out. With or without the _title_ of Prime, he would never be _just_ Optimus.

He was _her _Optimus.

However he didn't seem to pick up on her detest of the terminology, because he simply continued with his explanation, "Actually, I have always been Optimus _Prime_. When one is given the title, they are given a new name. Before my title was given, I was known as Orion Pax."

Tess couldn't help but furrow her brow in curiosity, scratching the back of her neck, "Orion? …You mean like, Orion's Belt?" she asked, gesturing vaguely towards the sky with her thumb. He gave her another nod.

"Similar, yes." To his surprise, Tessa started to giggle to herself at his answer, "Did…I say something amusing?"

She traced a hand tenderly along the finial gear and giggled again before she shook her head, unable to hide a smile, "No, no, I was just laughing at the irony. Orion's Belt being a constellation; and _you_ coming from outer space. The connection is just…cute, that's all."

"Cute…?" he chortled with an amused tone, smiling at how easily the found things funny. However Tess was already moving on to the next thing that she wanted to say.

"Still…I can't actually think of you as anything but Optimus…is that bad?"

A very soft, endearing chuckle rumbled its way up his frame before he turned his head a little; viewing her from the corner of his optics, "Not at all. Optimus is what you have known me as; it is all you have had to address me by. Although I must say, there has been a more recent name that I feel much more fondness towards; a name given to me a year ago by a female who has become very _precious_ to me…"

Tess turned to him with a mockingly evil grin, "Oh yeah? Who is this female, I'll kick her ass."

He couldn't help himself, her sarcastic and jesting tone warmed his very Spark; and he was unable to contain the mirthful, amused laughter that she caused. The little mechanic on his shoulder grinned up at him, secretly proud to have amused him so much. As his laughter died down, she crossed her legs on his shoulder and reclined comfortably against the side of his head; tracing small, useless patterns into the metal on his shoulder.

"So…how are you feeling about this weekend?" she asked softly.

A heavy, decompressing hiss escaped him as he pondered the question; he was silent for a moment before he answered, "Conflicted."

She looked in his general direction with a concerned face, "…conflicted?"

"Yes. While I may be eager to meet your family, the world that you have come from; I am concerned about their level of approval to me. I worry that they will not accept me as adequate for you." His voice was a little distant now; clearly he had thought long and hard about this already. Tessa however, gave a smile and a quiet laugh.

"Oh Chief…" she murmured, "…they're not unreasonable. You're a _good_ person-good…_robot_ I mean. You can't hide something like that, and they'll see that. Don't be worried; there is _nothing_ that they can do to you."

Optimus gave another of those hissing sighs, a mechanical whine coming from somewhere within his chest. "They could deem me unworthy…" he murmured to her softly.

Just the saddened inflection in his tone nearly broke her heart. He may have been a leader in every way, but he felt fear and anxiety as much as the rest of his soldiers; a trait he was very rarely allowed to display in his role. She felt her excessive empathy flair up as she imagined what that must be like, what it would _feel_ like to have that kind of expectation. She needed him to know that with her, comfort for these feelings would never be out of reach.

"Even if they did, which they _won't_; do you really think that would stop me from staying with you?"

He was silent for a moment before he responded to her, "…I would not encourage you to go against any wish of theirs. I would not want that."

"_Damn it_ Optimus, you listen to _me_," she demanded, feeling the ache in her chest ordering to make him _see_; he didn't need to be afraid of her family's judgement, "I _care_ about you Chief, and you care about me. That's all my family needs to see; that's all they'd worry about. As long as we're happy; they aren't going to _change_ that!" she sighed and dropped her voice gently once more, "You'll see on Sunday. They're wonderful people, and not quite as scary as you seem to think. They'll love you, I promise."

Shuffling closer to the side of his head, she lowered her face to the finial gear and planted a gentle kiss on the Cybertronian markings that were engraved there. She traced the grooves in the metal beneath her fingers as he gave another sigh; however this one was a little more relaxed.

His anxiety was obviously beginning to calm itself.

Lifting a hand to the little female on his shoulder, he tenderly stroked from the top of her head, down the side to her leg. While affection was slightly more cumbersome in this form, they both preferred it; it was real. Optimus gave a smile as he lowered his hand back down.

"Thank you Tess."

She gave a giggle and patted the side of his head playfully, "Anytime, Chief. Now if you don't mind the detour, can you take me to my workshop? I need to actually do some _work_ around here."

He gave a chuckle and started off in the direction they needed to go, "I apologize, I suppose I have been a little bit selfish in regard to your free time." He confessed. Tessa laughed in response and took on a deep voice, imitating his tone from past conversations.

"Well, you are very _distracting_." She said mockingly.

Another jovial laugh rumbled its way up his chest, his optics glowing with cheek and amusement, "Careful, you _are_ sitting on the shoulder of the one you are _mocking_…"

She snorted in good humour, "What, you're gonna drop me? Chief, you would _never_."

Optimus joined in her laughter with a gentle, rumbling chuckle of his own, "No…you're right," he said fondly, feeling his Spark swell with affection, "…never."


	46. High Voltage

**RIGHT-O. **

**Optimus finally gets introduced to the first member of Tessa's family as her prospective boyfriend; poor guy hahahaha. Mostly just a little bit of filler; with the brother meeting thrown in there as well.**

**Next up: OMFG THE PARTIEZ!**

**Megatron made grammar errors again **ಠ**3**ಠ

"Make sure you take those steaks out of the fridge before we leave," Tess called from the bathroom, "I don't want to get there and find out that we left them behind!"

She heard Aaron scoff from his room down the hall before he responded to her, "Yeah, yeah; I know Tessie! Jus' calm down will ya; it's Pop's birthday, not 'n execution. 'cept fer Opium maybe."

"_Optimus_!" she snapped from the bathroom, her words muffled from the toothpaste in her mouth, "And don't _say_ that!"

He laughed and pulled his black wife beater over his head, throwing a short sleeved, blue flannel shirt over the top before making his way to the kitchen. There was an insulated box for the drinks and cold food sitting on top of the counter and Aaron started to fill it with soft drinks from the fridge. The weather outside was already heating up, despite it only being fairly early in the morning; perfect weather for a barbeque.

As he packed, Tessa came out from the bathroom dressed in a pair of denim shorts, a loose fitting, baby blue, spaghetti strap singlet and her Converse sneakers. Her hair was left to fall freely into its natural, curled waves and she carried her canvas duffel bag on her right shoulder, dumping it on the dining room table. She went to the opposite side of the kitchen bench and placed her hands on it casually.

"So, Az, did you call Dad and wish him a happy birthday?" she asked him, watching him pack. He gave a nod in response and grinned broadly at her.

"Yep; told 'im I was drivin' through Missouri state 'n that I'd see 'im in a few months. Bought it hook line 'n sinker!" he laughed, looking over at the clock, "What time'd ye say yer boyfrien' was gonna be 'ere?"

Tessa scratched the corner of her eye, recalling the plans she'd made with Optimus before leaving work the day before. She and Optimus had come up with the perfect story as to why he would not be actually _eating_ at the barbeque; given that his Holoform could not ingest food substances.

Fasting.

The excuse was that Optimus was currently undergoing a new military training regiment which required him to fast for several days; taking only water and liquor in that time. The 'reason' that he was allowed liquor while fasting was because the military was willing to see how resistant an 'empty stomach' would be to alcohol; sort of along the lines of 'testing' Optimus' endurance. The reason Tess had told him to include mentioning being able to drink alcohol, was because her father and brothers would _absolutely_ demand to have a drink with her prospective boyfriend. It was something of a challenge between them; a rite of passage in some ways, and she knew that if he had refused or been unable to drink with them, they would look upon it as offensive, and possibly pass a less amicable judgement on him.

"He should be here soon," she said steadily, rubbing her hand on the back of her neck in a nervous fashion. She could not deny that she was anxious about the party; mostly for Optimus' sake more than anything else. But she also couldn't deny that she was excited; she wanted to see her family and spend time with them, and she wanted Optimus to be a part of it.

Giving a nod, Aaron closed the lid of the insulated container and reached into the refrigerator, pulling out two cans of soda. "Think fast!" he said with a grin before tossing one two Tess, laughing as she _just barely_ managed to catch it. Sliding her finger under the lip of the ring, she popped the can and watched her brother do the same. Holding up her can, she gestured at him as though she were toasting.

"Promise me you'll be nice to him. Be. _Nice_." She said warningly.

Aaron roared with laughter and rubbed his forehead with one hand, "We'll…ain't gon' make any promises, but I'll try Tessie; y'all don' need'a worry."

She gave a heavy sigh at his vague answer, but it was the best she was going to get from him. Trying to ignore the butterflies in her chest, she raised her can of soda towards his, "To family." She saluted.

Her sibling grinned at her, recognizing the gesture as their old, family dinner toast from their childhood, "To family."

With a metallic 'clink' they tapped their soda cans together and drank.

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Optimus pulled up out the front, Tessa had been in her bedroom looking for her floppy sunhat. Seeing as her room was at the front of the house, she heard the truck and looked through the curtains to see the Holoform climb down regally from the cabin. Feeling her nervousness rise to her throat, she dashed from the room and into the lounge where Aaron was watching cartoons.

"He's here." She said quickly, slapping him on the shoulder, "He's here; get your hill-billy ass up off my couch."

He snorted at her and switched off the television before hauling himself to his feet with a lazy groan, "A'right, a'right; I'm up ya damned _harpie_." He laughed at her; incredibly amused by just how completely and utterly _nervous_ she was. Clearly she was worried about what he would say, and in all fairness if she was judging him by his past reactions to her boyfriends; he didn't blame her. But his baby sister was all grown up now, and didn't need the violent hand he'd always used to protect her; she was smart, and he trusted her to make her own judgements.

There was a sharp, dignified knock at the door which made Tessa freeze in horror, turning to him with the expression of a terrified rabbit caught in the headlights of a lawnmower. Her face quickly became one of serious scolding as she pointed at her brother.

"Be nice. I swear to _God_ if you say something awful, I will skin you alive and use it as a cover for my car seat."

Aaron scoffed amusedly at her before placing a hand over his heart with one hand and saluting her with the other, "Scout's honour Ma'am." He drawled in his mutated, southern tone.

She looked him up and down sceptically before turning to head for the door; but before she exited the room, she pointed back at him with an 'if-you-try-anything-I-will-_end_-you' expression. "Stay." She order, and then left.

Tromping down the hallway nervously, she took a deep breath and exhaled heavily before smiling to herself; realizing that she was unable to hide her excitement that underlay the situation.

Despite her anxiety, she was eager for Optimus to truly become a part of her family.

Reaching for the handle, she pulled the door open to reveal his Holoform standing on her porch, looking regal and handsome; if not a little nervous. In an instant, she felt every doubt and anxiety melt away.

"Hey Chief," she smiled gently, "come in."

"Tess…" he greeted with a soft smile, reaching up to discreetly touch her chin; clearly he was seeking comfort from the gesture himself. He was dressed in a pair of dark blue denim jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a red vest patched with blue pockets on the chest; there were blue flames that resembled the Peterbilt's trimming the hem. Simple, black combat boots donned his feet, and the Autobot emblem was stitched into the left chest pocket.

He looked casual; as she'd told him to, but he was _magnificent_.

"The outfit looks wonderful," she murmured gently, pressing a hand to the junction of the Holoform's neck and shoulder before planting a quick kiss on his lips, "You nervous?"

He gave a heavy sigh before lowering his hand from her chin and placing his hands studiously at his sides. "Inescapably."

Feeling his anxiety, she gently reached forward and took his hand in hers; stroking the Holoform's skin with her fingers, "Come on; there's someone you need to meet." A single, obedient nod followed her words and she gently led him up the hall towards where she knew Aaron would be waiting; not once letting go of his hand.

Just as she had expected, her brother stood leaning casually against the back of the couch, appearing both calm and unfazed; if not a little bit bored. He pushed himself up off the sofa upon seeing them enter the room and took in the new boyfriend with disguised scrutiny; his previously imagined idea of what he would look like having been completely blown from the water.

This guy was not at all what he'd expected.

In the past, Tess had a habit of either dating one of the massive, rough, messy mechanics that she worked with, or the not-so-popular dweebs that she would end up seeing out of pity. The man that entered the room with her was tall and broad-shoulder; not bulky, but certainly no pushover. He moved with an unusual strength; his posture displaying the confidence of one who was a leader. Not to mention the way his unusually _bright_, blue eyes darted around the room to take in every small detail; as if assessing his surroundings for threats or danger.

_Well, Tessie said he was in th' army n' all. Maybe 's outta habit?_ He thought to himself as they approached, and Tessa opened her mouth to speak to the new guy.

"Chief, I'd like you to meet my second eldest brother; this is Aaron." She said, clearly putting on a smile. It wasn't difficult to see that she was nervous about what he might say; but true to his word he was going to be _nice_…however that didn't mean he wasn't going to test the waters first…

"Pleasure," he drawled, "Tessie's told me 'lot about ye, Opium. 's nice t' finally-"

"-Optimus." He said calmly, formally; the leader had no animosity in his voice at the correction. It was respectful.

"Sorry, what'd ye say?" Aaron asked, the left corner of his lip turning up cheekily as he ignored Tessa's death glare from behind the man. The blue haired 'Commander' in question straightened his jaw, clearly not allowing himself to be intimidated by the trucker's much bulkier, slightly taller frame.

"My name; you were not quite correct. I am Optimus, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He said firmly, holding his hand out in the familiar earth gesture of a handshake; in all his years on this planet he knew it to be a sign of respect and equality.

Aaron gave a smile, his eyes mischievous and mirthful in the wake of Optimus' confidence.

_Good_, he thought, _he ain't no push-over_.

He didn't want his sister being with anyone who would not stand up for themselves, because when a man couldn't stand up in defence of _himself_, how could he be expected to defend Tessa? In his eyes; Optimus had just passed a test, successfully jumping a hurdle that had concerned the elder brother. He clasped the man's hand with a deep chuckle.

"Pleasure's all mine," he replied genuinely, "Tessie here said yer some army dog 'fficial, right?"

Optimus gave a nod and cast a fond glance over at the mechanic in question; a tender gesture that Aaron didn't miss, "Somewhat, yes. I am the commander of a specific faction but, as I'm sure Tessa has already informed you; I cannot discuss with those of civilian status. I apologize in advance for anything that I may not be able to tell you."

Aaron shrugged, "Don't really bother me none. I'm always on th' road, so what you 'n yer army dogs do ain't no concern o' mine. My only issue is y'all lookin' after Tessie here." He gestured over to the girl standing behind Optimus who was currently feeling her heart go a mile a minute as her brother and her 'boyfriend' had the casually awkward 'first talk' moment. The Prime, in response to Aaron's comment, looked to Tessa with a smile and placed a tender hand on her shoulder briefly.

"I can assure you," he murmured, turning back to her brother as his hand dropped back to his side, "that I would sooner lay down my own life than see her harmed."

The genuine tone of his statement almost hit Aaron like a physical force, because Optimus _meant_ what he said; he could feel it in the _air_. That kind of devotion was tangible and as he registered the statement; he smiled broadly, clapping a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Now _that_, I'm glad t' hear," his blue eyes flicker between Optimus and Tessa as he continued, "well if y'all are ready; le's get goin' huh?"

"Absolutely!" Tess exclaimed, her voice an octave or two higher than normal due to having just lived through one of the most tensing moments of her _life_.

She quickly ducked over and picked her duffel bag up off the dining table and grabbed her house keys off the hook in the kitchen. Motioning to the two of them, she headed for the door; but Aaron stopped her short for a second; taking the house keys from her hand.

"Y'all go on outside, I gotta take a leak first; I'll lock th' house up." He said with a snicker, waving them off and heading down the hall. When he was gone, Tessa exhaled heavily and reached for Optimus' hand; squeezing it reassuringly as she led him outside and shut the door behind them.

"You did so well, Chief." She murmured to him, reaching up and touching his face. To her surprise, the Holoform leaned into the caress and he closed his eyes against her palm. His nose rested on her wrist and he inhaled deeply; taking in her scent as though it were comforting for him, before he pulled away and swept a gentle look over her.

"You look lovely." He said tenderly, pressing a palm to her cheek and stroking her face with his thumb. Then he let her go, watching the closed door for her brother's return, "I want you to know, that I will be disconnecting the sensors in my cabin during this drive." Tessa's expression turned to one of confusion.

"Why?"

"You said that your brother has a fascination for trucks, yes?"

She pursed her lips curiously, "Yeah; he's a trucker…how come?"

"I will be allowing him to drive the Peterbilt," he said calmly, looking over at where the massive vehicle was parked with a contemplative expression, "if I am not mistaken, it may win me some favour…yes?"

She nearly choked on the statement, "But…Aaron driving the…driving _you_…wouldn't that be…_wrong_? You know, with what happened…when _I_ tried to drive?" Optimus' Holoform shook his head and gestured to the truck with a calm expression.\

"No. The moment between you and I was different. I did not turn the sensors off with you, which in a way I suppose was foolish; but I hadn't _expected_ sensations such as those to be connected to a gear shift. It has never happened before. However when I switch off the sensor nodes within the cabin; it becomes nothing more than like that of a normal vehicle. I will feel nothing." To his surprise, he noticed a rather sad look cross her features very briefly, "Tess…?"

"You mean, you won't feel me in the seat? Nothing at all?"

He gave a chuckle at her concern and touched her face, "It will only be for the drive with your brother, Tessa. Besides; I will be right there next to you, you don't need to worry." His hand still rested on her jawline, and as his eyes fell to her lips; he leaned forward slightly in an attempt to kiss her.

He backed off when he heard Aaron's footsteps coming toward the front door.

The trucker in question had the insulated drinks bag over his shoulder as he locked the jamming wooden door behind him, unsuspectingly turning to the would-be lovers with a grin at Tessa.

"Got me th' steaks, 'n here; y'all fergot this." He dropped Tessa's floppy sunhat onto her head with a laugh before turning to Optimus, "A'right C'mmander. Where's this truck o' yers?"

The Prime pointed simply to the Peterbilt with a smile, and Aaron gave a loud, appreciate wolf whistle as he jumped Tessa's small porch steps to approach it. "Damn Capt'n, where'd you _find_ this beauty. Ain't she one fine piece?"

"-He." Tessa cut in quickly, "It's a _he_."

Az gave a chuckle and looked back at the vehicle with a shrug, "Guess 'at makes sense; looks too macho t' be a chick truck." Despite herself, Tessa snorted in humour; unable to hide her amusement at her brother's appreciation for Optimus' truck form; but Aaron ignored her to address Optimus, "So wha's it like ta drive?"

The Holoform cast a knowing, almost _cheeky_ glance at Tessa before reaching into the pocket of his jeans and fishing out a set of keys; which were clearly not needed when Optimus was driving himself. "Why don't you let me know you opinion," the Prime said calmly with a smile, "I'd like you to drive us there; seeing as I do not know the direction."

The little mechanic could actually have _pinpointed_ the exact moment when her brother's eyes lit up like a pyromaniac being given fireworks; his blue orbs practically glistening with excitement before he spoke.

"Aw shit, Tessie," he drawled, taking the keys appreciatively, "I _like_ this guy!"


	47. Father

**Okay, so we didn't **_**quite**_** get to the actual party this time; but even better, we've got the MEET THE FATHER in this chapter! Hahahaha.**

**The title for this chapter, instead of being done on Shuffle with my iPod like a usually do, I actually chose specifically because of the chapter's content. The song is called Father, and it's sung by a band called Pillar. Despite the original song actually being about God, I picked this song because the lyrics that I've posted in the beginning of the chapter remind me of how Tessa would feel about her own father, and I thought it was sweet.**

**Anyhow my wonderful, WONDERFUL readers; I love you BUNCHES and I hope you enjoy this one :)**

_He is the way the truth and the life_

_He's my road to take me home_

_He is the way the truth and the life_

_He's my father and my friend_

Optimus' offer of allowing Aaron to drive the truck turned out to be an incredibly favourable move on his part. The trucker sat in the driver's seat, Optimus on the opposite window seat and Tessa in the middle; Aaron spend the majority of the journey asking about the truck's performance, its mileage and he'd even been so amicable as to ask whether it 'got chicks' or not. The Prime gave a smile and turned to the little mechanic beside him with a look that Aaron could only have described as adoring.

"Well, it got me Tessa's attention…" he murmured gently, his eyes sweeping her face softly; taking in every minute detail. She responded by blushing scarlet and taking his hand; twining her fingers in between his discreetly so that Aaron could not see, looking at him with a smile.

"What can I say, Chief? I'm totally in this for the truck."

"Oh, of course." He replied, acting as though he understood completely. An unsuspecting Aaron couldn't have possibly understood that they were in fact serious in their conversation; Tessa really _was_ in the relationship for the Peterbilt.

Hell, the relationship was _with_ the Peterbilt!

"Now y'all better keep it G-rated 'round the folks; Lucy's gon' be there too y'know!" Aaron snickered, keeping his eyes on the road as he piloted the massive truck with ease born from practice. He truly was a fine trucker; and it showed in the way he drove. Optimus noticed Tessa's eyes light up at mention for the one he knew to be her niece; she had a habit of being so excitable whenever the girl was mentioned.

"My Lucy!" she gushed happily before turning to him, "Oh, Optimus; you get to meet my Lucy!"

Before the commander could respond to her, Aaron shot out a hand and playfully slapped Tessa on the arm; a massive grin splitting his features.

"We're 'ere kiddies. You nervous, Capt'n?"

She watched Optimus roll his Holoform's shoulders in an unwinding gesture before he exhaled heavily, "Admittedly." He confessed honestly, resulting in Tessa gently running a thumb over his shoulder before she turned to take in the view outside her windscreen.

Her father's property was on the horizon and they'd turned off the main road onto long gravel stretch that acted as a massive, winding driveway. When they reached the house, they would be unable to see the road from the property; and vice versa. There was already a group of cars over to one side, all of which she knew. Her father's white utility truck was resting in its usual spot by the massive garage, and their stepmother, Nora, had parked her beat up four-wheel drive next to it; the car coated in a fine layer of dirt that came from driving around the property. Also parked in the lot was a shiny, navy blue sedan that she immediately recognized as Riley and Emma's and a little ways from that was the little, silver hatchback that her mother drove. Given the fact that her parents' divorce had happened roughly a decade ago, the pair had gotten past any animosity and were now civil friends; for their own sanity if not for the sake of their children. It had been a relief for Tessa when they had finally started to genuinely just enjoy one another's platonic company; in fact her mother and Nora got on incredibly well.

As they pulled up, the sound of the rumbling truck had obviously been heard from inside the house, and her father (_being the sort who liked to greet his guests at the door_) had shown up on the front porch; Tessa was once again thankful for the heavy tinting of the truck's glass.

She turned to Aaron with a grin. "Now, you wait here. Don't get out of the truck until I give you the signal. Optimus, would you get the door for me please?"

"Of course." He replied, reaching for the handle and pulling it open for her. It was then Tessa realized that she'd made a little bit of a blunder by placing herself in the middle of the truck, given that she was not sitting on a side with access to a door.

She was going to have to _climb_ over Optimus.

Feeling her cheeks blaze at the thought, she tried to do so gently and politely, but halfway over, she momentarily had to _straddle_ the poor guy to reach the exit. In the close proximity of their faces (_despite how incredibly __brief__ the moment was_) she noticed a very faint tint of blue dusting across his nose.

_Energon_, she realized, _the Holoform doesn't have blood; it's __Energon_!

She placed a bracing hand on his shoulder and tried to ignore the sparks that flew between their eyes in the briefest of moments before she swung her other leg over and climbed down from the truck with a solid thud; feeling a little breathless from the chemistry she'd felt.

"Tessie!" came her father's call from the porch. She felt a grin carve its way into her face and she turned to him with a beaming expression; her arms outstretched to hug him as she approached.

"Happy Birthday, Dad." She said happily, feeling his strong arms crush themselves around her shoulder and hug her tight; just as he did when she was a child.

"How's my baby girl?" he chuckled, ruffling a hand through her hair as he hugged her. As she laughed in response, he looked over her shoulder and paused briefly, "Is that Optimus fella in the truck?"

Tessa felt her stomach flip-flop nervously. She'd already discussed the situation with her father over the phone; having wanted his permission to bring him first, rather than just turning up at a family event with a new boyfriend. Of course, he'd agreed for him to come along; mostly because he wanted to be in on the situation. However Optimus had yet to meet him as Tessa's _boyfriend_, and he was keen to size the boy up.

"Yeah, he's there." Tess turned to the Peterbilt with a nervous smile, "Chief, come meet my dad…properly, I mean…"

A few seconds later, the passenger side door opened again, and this time Optimus climbed down from the cabin. As he approached, she noticed that his shoulders were squared, and his face was passively neutral; obviously his best attempt to hide the concern that she had _no doubt_ he was experiencing. In complete lack of regard to what her father might make of her actions, she reached forward as Optimus approached them and interlocked her fingers with his; hoping to quell some of his worry.

"Dad, you remember Optimus Prime?" she asked quietly, smiling up at the commander.

Phillip Jackson gave a nod and regarded the man in front of him much more intensely than when he had thought he was simply Tessa's commanding officer, "That I do," he said calmly, "Although back then, son, you weren't in the running for my little girl's heart. What have you got to say to that?"

He was not aggressing in his question, and Optimus could see this easily; the man was simply curiously (_if not a little __bluntly_) stating his mind. With a genuine smile, the Prime held out a hand and held firm eye contact with the human in front of him.

"I wish to state that I, Optimus Prime, have the intent to court your daughter with your permission. Should you disapprove; against my own wishes I will cease my course of action." The words left his Holoform's lips in an instant that he had not exactly intended; but he'd been unable to compose himself properly, a fact that unnerved him a little. Meanwhile, Tessa held her breath anxiously. She hadn't expected it to be over so fast; but Optimus had cut straight to the chase, something that she'd never seen done so swiftly before.

Phil was clearly also just as taken aback as the pair in front of him, because he was stunned to silence for a moment before he suddenly burst out laughing; placing a bracing hand on his forehead as he did so. He looked up again to clap Optimus on the shoulder, clearly amused by him.

"Well, son, I have to say…none of the boy's Tessie has ever brought to me have been…so _forthcoming_." He chuckled once more before continuing, "I appreciate your honesty son, I do; but you don't need to be so formal. We're a family," he held out his hand to the man in front of him, "and I trust my Tessa's judgement, so now you're a part of it too."

Optimus was stunned for a moment, just looking down at the outstretched hand in front of him for a few seconds before he clasped the offered hand firmly.  
>"Thank you, sir." He said; sounding audibly relieved. Tessa couldn't begin to describe the relief of her own that she felt; watching her father shake hands with the man she cared so deeply for. Then she remembered poor Aaron, sitting waiting in the truck.<p>

"Oh…Dad," she said with a smile, "While I remember, I'd like to give you one of your birthday presents…" she trailed off, knowing e_xactly_ what his response would be. His face stiffened into the stern disciplinary he would turn into when enforcing rules when she was a child.

"Kiddo, you _know_ we don't do presents until after the barbeque; that's always been the rule-"

"-No, trust me, Dad; you'll want to see this one." Tessa gave an unmistakable grin, turning to the truck and giving a thumbs up; watching as the driver's side door swung open.

The burly, amber haired trucker landed firmly on the gravel with a thumping _crunch_ before swinging the door shut. He took a couple of steps forward before leaning against the truck with a massive grin plastered on his face. "Hey ol' man," he drawled cheekily, "Happy birthday."

Tessa couldn't contain her smile as she watched her father's expressions scroll register across his face. For a moment it was disbelief and shock, before awe took over; then being replaced by pure and unfiltered _joy_.

"_Aaron_…?" he breathed, taking a step forward, his hand outstretched in disbelief. It had been nearly a year since he'd been able to see his son in person, his youngest son who was always travelling, driving; working. Always so far from reach that if it weren't for phones, he'd never hear from him; and he was _home_, "My boy!"

Closing the distance, he wrapped his arms around his son unashamedly; laughing so hard that Tessa could see tears streaming from his eyes; which made her have to fight to keep back her own.

It felt so _good_ to see them both again.

Optimus watched the scene quietly with genuine interest. Although he'd been around humans for several years now, he had never actually seen the first hand interactions of a real family before. He'd watched the soldiers at N.E.S.T interact, and his comrades were what he liked to consider his family; but this was different. The way Tessa's father held his son so tightly, taking in every little interaction and reaction between them before Aaron eventually started to laugh and wriggle from the man's grasp.

"Okay, Pop ya can lemme go now; _geez_ ol' man, I can't breathe none with you s_queezin'_ me like that!" he laughed, forcing the older man to back off with a hearty chuckle, tears still clinging to the corner of his eyes as he looked at his son before he clipped him around the back of the ears playfully.

"Don't speak so disrespectfully to your father, Aaron Matthew Jackson; I taught you better." He said sternly, his eyes displaying an endearingly fond mirth that showed he wasn't serious. Aaron rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin as he answered.

"Sorry Dad, truth knowin' though; I don't blame y'all fer missin' me so much!"

Tessa snorted, crossing her arms over her chest as she retaliated to his self-confident jibe, "Someone sounds awfully _sure_ of themselves, Az." She laughed.

Phillip looked from his son, to his daughter with an amused, almost curious grin, "So the two of you set this up, huh?"

The little mechanic shrugged and looked at her brother before answering, "Actually, Aaron came up with the idea; I was just in on it. He's been staying with me and taking up my guest room for two weeks."

"Aw quit _whinin'_ ye harpie. You don' use it none _anyhow_!" he retorted, strolling over and ruffling the girls hair beneath his massive palm before he turned to Optimus, "Well, looks like yer stuck with us as yer family now, Capt'n."

Optimus presented a genuinely relieved smile as he looked over at Tessa, reaching out to take her fingers in his tenderly before raising it to his lips and planting a gentle kiss on the back of her hand; his eyes never leaving hers. Then he returned his gaze to Aaron before speaking.

"I assure you, there is no place I would rather be than at her side." Tessa felt her cheeks flare up at the comment; her blush unmistakable.

Aaron gave a laugh and scratched the back of his neck again, "Gotta admit, yer one o' the boyfrien's I've liked most s'far. Mostly 'cause o' yer truck." Tessa slapped him with a miffed expression.

"Az!" she snapped, "that's an awful thing to say. Optimus is family now; you offend him and I'll kick your hillbilly ass!"

She and her brother glared at each other for a few seconds, before the stare-off crumbled and they broke out laughing. Phil, who was clearly overjoyed at now having his entire family under one roof, clapped a hand on Optimus' shoulder and guiding him towards the front door.

"Well son, I think it's time for you to meet the rest of the family; then you and I are going to get a drink and have a talk."

"…I'd like that, sir." Optimus said respectfully. Phil was pleased to hear that he was agreeable to the idea; he was wary of anyone who wasn't willing to share a drink and a conversation with him, he found it disrespectful. But clearly this man was eager to earn his approval; however he seemed to do so without being a total kiss-ass. He was confident, and presented an aura of someone who would not be pushed around; a trait that Phil believed he was going to like about the lad.

"Good man," he said warmly, turning to his two children who were following behind, "now that we're all here; let's get this barbeque started, hey?"

Tessa gave a heavy, relieved exhalation before she smiled and answered her father, "Dad, I've been waiting to hear that all week." Then she stopped and turned to Aaron with a sudden smile; having remembered something important, "Hey Az?"

"Yep?"

With a grin, she scratched behind her ear playfully and pointed a thumb at the Peterbilt; a cheeky expression written on her features. "You left the steaks in the truck."

"…Aw _shit_!"


	48. Jackson Five

**Well, it's not **_**quite**_** the party yet, but in all honesty; I really did NOT want to rush through the meeting of the family. It wouldn't make sense to, because Tessa's family is a huge part of her life and I didn't want to just skip past it. Also; I LOVE the interactions between OP and Lucy, and OP and Boof.**

**Speaking of whom, just to let you all know: **

**The double 'o' sound in Boof's name is pronounced like "book" or "soot"**

**It ****ISN'T**** pronounced like "boot" "noob"**

**Just so you read it correctly ;) Another thing about this chapter is the song title I used for it. It's another hand chosen, purposeful song for this one.**

**Jackson Five by Falling Up.**

**I chose it because the opening line, "Coming at you like the Jackson Five" instantly makes me think of Tessa, and of poor Optimus having her whole family coming at him at this party. I know the original song is about the real "Jackson Five" which Michael Jackson was a part of, but when I heard this song on my iPod it actually made me realize something.**

**Tessa's **_**initial**_** family (**_**being her parents, herself and her siblings**_**) consisted of FIVE people. When it clicked I was just like O.o**

**So anyway, I hope you guys liked my clever little reference hahaha.**

**P.S. I freaking LOVED writing Lucy; she's already such a dear character to me, and I feel like in future there could quite possibly be a Primary Mechanisms spin-off, just for her. Maybe…**

_Coming at you like the Jackson Five_

As Optimus followed Tess and her family into the house and down the hallway, he heard voices coming from their destination. It was a loud, garbled and continuous drone of laughter and conversation; and the entire home had the strangest feeling of warmth that he'd never experienced before.

The environment just _emanated_ a sense of family.

Phil went in first and then Tessa and Optimus followed; Aaron waited in the hall so that he couldn't be seen. Optimus physically jolted a little when a _loud_, joyful squeal was heard from the table.

"AUNT TESSIE!"

The small child that he assumed was her niece had pushed out her chair with a vengeance and shot across the room with more speed than he'd _ever_ seen a Decepticon use. She flung her arms around Tessa's middle and gave a giggling squeal as the mechanic lifted her into her grasp and swung her around in a circle; the two of them were laughing ecstatically.

"Oohhh my Lucy-Lulu! I missed you so _much_ baby girl!" Tessa exclaimed, slowing the spin and lifting the child onto her hip to look at the child. Lucy gave a beaming smile and planted a big kiss on Tessa's cheek before wrapping her arms around her auntie's neck.

"I missed you too!" she muffled against her skin, burying her face into Tessa's neck in a warm cuddle. Suddenly Phil's voice drew her attention away from Lucy, and Optimus' attention away from Tessa.

Phil was addressing the group of people in his dining room with the authority that only a father could possess. "Well everybody, looks like we have us an extra guest today." Tessa smiled to herself as she heard Riley reply with a laugh.

"Dad, we already _knew_ that Tessa's new boyfriend was coming for a grilling, you don't have to _announce_ it." He laughed, taking a sip of his soda and then placing it back on the table he was sitting at. Before his father could respond, there was a loud, hollering laugh from the hallway and all eyes turned to the entrance.

Aaron was grinning at his older brother as he entered, "Well then I guess y'all could jus' say _I'm_ only taggin' along!"

Riley gave a disbelieving laugh and shot his hand up to his mouth, "My _God_! Aaron?"

Optimus' eyes were suddenly drawn to the movement from where Tessa stood. Little Lucy was wriggling in her auntie's arms before dropping excitedly to the ground; her eyes wide and ecstatic. "Azzy! Uncle Azzy!" she screeched; slamming into the burly looking trucker full force; actually causing him to drop back a step before he roared with laughed and squeezed the child to his chest.

"Now 'ere's me all time, number one gal! Ya bin be'avin' yerself little missy?" he chided, ruffling the girls hair as he cuddled her. She nodded excitedly.

"Yeah! I _missed_ you Uncle Azzy! Mommy said you were working!"

"Well, I was Lulu, but seein' how it's Grandpa's birthday I thought I'd come n' say 'ello." He chuckled, pulling the girl into his chest for another hug and placing her on the ground.

Optimus noticed the way the entire family seemed to gravitate towards the child; almost magnetically. The way she seemed to beam with her own energy, and in turn she appeared to lift the spirits of the rest of them. Not to mention the way she _captivated_ her family members with a pair of vibrant, blue eyes that were almost too large for a child of her size.

Eyes that he suddenly realized were focused on _him_.

Cocking her head to the side like a puppy, her mass of long, chocolate brown curls hung over her shoulder in a silken curtain as she looked up at him curiously. He found himself unable to say anything; he'd never actually _interacted_ with a child before, and from what he'd seen of Tessa and her family's communications with her, it seemed that talking to a child was something _different_ from talking to an adult. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, but before he could look to Tessa for assistance, the little girl spoke.

"I'm Lucy! What's your name?" she asked brightly. He noticed that her eyes held no barriers or masks; not one. He was suddenly reminded of the saying that was common amongst humans; the eyes being the windows to the soul. This little girl had those windows thrown _wide open_ and was uninhibited in her sheer and blatant honesty; he found himself imagining that perhaps his Tessa had been similar in her childhood. Dropping down onto one knee to be eye level with her, he scanned her features quickly before speaking. She had caramel coloured skin that had come from (_unbeknownst to Optimus_) her mother's Cherokee heritage; her chocolate curls framed a delicate, heart shaped face and her tiny, full lips were complimented by the expressive blue eyes he had first noticed.

It was not difficult to see that she was going to be stunning when she grew up.

"My name is Optimus," he said gently to her, an elbow rested on his knee, "Optimus Prime."

She looked at him for a moment as she registered his words before she wrinkled her nose and gave a giggle; the reaction confused Optimus, because he'd never had such a response to his name before. However her next words clarified exactly what it was that she had found amusing.

"Octopus?" she giggled unabashedly, "That's a _silly_ name!"

He was stunned to silence for a moment, completely and utterly unsure of what to say in response; however Tessa (_who was laughing uncontrollably at how adorable the child was_) managed to rescue him.

"Oh, Lucy; no, no, no! _Op-ti-mus_, not Octopus!" she laughed placing a hand on Optimus' shoulder to reassure him as he pulled himself to his feet, still unable to hide her evident amusement. Lucy watched Tessa for a second before giggling again and shaking her head to look back up at the Prime.

"Optimus is _still_ a silly name!" she exclaimed with a beaming smile, "I think it's a _cool_ silly name!" she reached forward and took his hand; the child's warm skin surprising him with its gentle assertiveness. "Will you sit next to _me_?"

Looking to Tessa for guidance, she smiled broadly and nodded, "Of course he will, Lucy." She said fondly, making eye contact with Optimus before gently touching a hand to his shoulder, "Don't worry; she doesn't bite."

Without any other warning, the Holoform found himself guided forward toward the table where Aaron and Riley were joking and laughing as the trucker sat beside his brother; wrapping a massive arm around the older sibling in a lopsided hug. Lucy led Optimus to the other side of the table where he was assigned a seat with the small girl on his left, and Tessa on his right. Then the mechanic took it upon herself to introduce him to the remainder of the congregation.

"Okay Chief, Dad and Aaron you've met already…" she started, "Lucy too." The little girl in question beamed happily at having her name mentioned, looking up at Optimus happily as he glanced down at her; still not quite sure how he was meant to react. Deciding to try one of the gestures that he'd seen Ironhide use on Tessa many times, he lifted his left hand and placed it gently on the girl's head for a second. To his relief, she gave a giggle and squirmed at in reaction to it.

_Children react to affection_, he noted to himself; turning his attention back to Tessa as she continued to relay her family to him. He felt like some sort of Sparkling on display with the way the room's attention was focused on him; it was rather _uncomfortable_.

"This is my other brother, Riley; he's the oldest."

The man in question, whom Optimus noted had darker, less auburn hair than his siblings and a pair of blue eyes that matched his daughter's, reached over across the table to shake his hand. Admittedly, he was surprised at the ease with which Riley seemed to accept him, and it must have shown on the Holoform's face; because the man clearly understood what he was feeling.

Although the eldest sibling possessed the same wit and humour as his two juniors, he had always been far more mellow and level-headed. His calm ability for logic and calculation was his greatest asset in the accounting firm he worked for.

"You've already been approved by Aaron and Dad," he explained with a friendly shrug, "and my Lucy seems to like you. My judgement is as good as theirs, so welcome!"

Optimus dipped his head respectfully with a smile before he spoke, clearly starting to feel a little more at ease now that the worst of it was over, "Thank you."

Tess gave a relieved sigh before she continued, gesturing to the seat on the other end of the table, "Over on the end there is my Mom, Rachael," Optimus turned his attention to the woman and was actually astoundingly surprised at the resemblance. While Tessa bore a lot of her father in her, the petite and delicate features of her mother were unmistakable. However the woman, unlike his Tess, had straight, dark brown hair and a vibrant pair of blue eyes which she had clearly passed on to her granddaughter. She presented him with a smile and spoke in a voice that held so much love and warmth, that it made him realize that if he'd ever _had_ a 'mother' he would wish for them to be like her.

"I've heard a lot about you Optimus. He's a _handsome_ one Tessie," she said with a smile, looking at her daughter before turning back to address the Prime, "I must admit it's been a long time since I've seen her so happy in a relationship. I remember one time, when she was about 18 years old, that she-"

"Oookaaaay! Moving on!" Tessa exclaimed loudly, talking over the top of her mother and shooting her an 'if-you-ever-tell-that-story-you-will-die' look before she spoke again, "Sitting next to Riley over there is Emma; she's Lucy's mom, and Thomas, my nephew over there," she gestured to the baby capsule where the several month old infant slept, "She's also the closest thing I've ever had to a sister, which is great because these damned brothers of mine just drive me _mad_ sometimes."

"You love us." Riley and Aaron said in unison, their tones reflecting that this response was quite frequent; habitual.

Optimus couldn't help but chuckle at the banter between the three siblings; it reminded him of how Tess interacted with Sideswipe and Ironhide. It warmed his Spark to see that she did indeed treat he and his Autobots as she did her real family; it meant that she saw them as _part_ of it.

"And finally," she continued, gesturing to the woman sitting next to her father, "is my stepmom, Nora."

Nora had roughly cut, chin length blonde hair and was roughly between 45 and 50 years of age with a big smile and expressive, dark green eyes. It was clear that, although she was clearly an 'after' addition to the family, she was no less loved. She grinned at Tessa before pulling a mockingly hurt expression.

"Tess, baby; you forgot somebody."

"I did? But who did I….OH!" suddenly her eyes widened in shock and she slapped Optimus' shoulder enthusiastically, admittedly making him jump in his chair a little, "There's one more member of the family for you to meet! Come on, let's go outside; Lucy, do you want to come introduce Optimus to Boof?"

The little girl's eyes lit up excitedly and she practically _leapt_ out of her chair and tugged the Prime's hand eagerly, "Yeah! Come on, come on! Let's _go_!"

Tessa laughed heartily at the overly energetic girl's never ending supply of life, "Calm down Luce; Boof isn't going anywhere." She giggled. Optimus turned to her with a bewildered expression as he was led from the room, leaving Tessa's incredibly amused family in the dining room as they walked; his hand still being guided by the small child.

"…Boof…?" he asked confusedly. The mechanic gave a cheeky grin and looped her arm into his, resting her head against his arm, savouring the feeling of the Holoform's actual _skin_ against hers.

"You'll see…" she murmured cheekily.

It wasn't long before they were out in the back yard under the patio, overlooking the large property from the undercover paving. Letting go of Optimus' hand, Lucy all but flew over to one corner of the pavement; and not for the first time he found himself regarding the child with interest.

Were _all_ Earth children so charming; so easy to trust and have faith in? Not to mention so full of _energy_! He found himself thinking of what she'd have been like had she been a Sparkling rather than a human; realizing that with energy and spirit like hers, she'd have made a formidable Autobot. It occurred to him that perhaps he felt an immediate kinship for the child because of just how much she reminded him of Tessa; of how she might have been in her youth.

Oh how he _wished_ he'd been there to see it.

He was brought out of his silent revere by Tess patting his arm playfully, pointing at Lucy. The little girl was walking next to a creature he'd commonly heard humans refer to as 'dogs' but this beast was a goliath next to the child. The little six year old could probably ride the animal as a steed if she chose to.

"This is Grandpa and Nanny-Nora's dog Boof! He's old, and smelly and he slobbers _lots_!" the child exclaimed. Optimus couldn't help but notice that all of the traits she had described were typically those of negative nature, but the way she said them suggested that she was _proud_ of them. He noticed that Tessa was beaming at the animal as she crouched down next to it and threw her arms around its massive neck; scratching its head and talking in a baby voice.

"I know, and we love you for it; don't we Boofy-Boy, don't we? Yes we do; you're such a _good_ boy!" Boof was a St Bernard that Nora and Phil had gotten from the pound; one of those dogs who'd been thrown away after a gift-giving season because he wasn't 'cute' anymore. He was massive, even for a St Bernard, and was nearly 11 years old now. His brown, white and amber fur was patched with grey, especially around his face where the fur was usually darkest. He was floppy, placid and gentle in his old age; far happier sleeping by the fire at her father's feet than chasing rabbits on the property.

He was fat, lazy and useless; and they _adored_ him.

"You can pat him, Chief; it's okay…" she said gently, "He's just a floppy old man, aren't you boy?" she turned to him again and scratched him behind the ear, to which Optimus noticed the dog discreetly kicking its leg. He knelt down in front of the animal, but made no move to touch it. Lucy noticed this and pulled away from Boof to stand next to Optimus, looking at him with a bright smile.

"You don't know how to pat him? Here, I'll show you!" she reached for his hand, but to his own surprise he flinched away very briefly. He knew nothing about this tame beast in front of him, he did not know its intentions, or what it might be capable of. In his experiences of _war_, he'd learned that to never judge something by what it appeared to be…

"…Wait…" he started quickly, almost concerned. Tessa watched the scene quietly, knowing _just_ how Lucy would react; the little girl had an amazing skill when it came to people and their worries.

She just liked to _help_ everyone.

The little girl looked up at him curiously before smiling again gently and reaching for his hand again, "It's okay…I'll show you." She stated simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Lifting Optimus' hand in hers, she guided it towards the dog's head and placed his palm gently on Boof's brow. She held her hand on top of his for a few silent seconds before she let go. "See? Boof is friendly; you don't have to be scared."

The Holoform held a breath for a few seconds as he noticed the dog pause for a second, as if only just noticing the hand on his head; then he lifted his nose and sniffed Optimus' palm for a moment. Another paused was followed by a heavy, rumbling whine; as if to say 'there's something different about you' before the dog took a few steps towards the kneeling man and pressed his nose to the Prime's chest. A heavy, snuffling sound was heard as the dog took in his scent, burrowing his head under Optimus' arm and up into his face as he sniffed. Finally, after about an entire minute of smelling this newcomer, the dog sat down on the floor in front of him like a good tracking dog and barked once before nudging his hand again as if to say 'you can start patting me again now'.

Confused, Optimus looked up at Tessa, who was grinning broadly. It was clear that the dog had been able to sense something new about him, something not _normal_; but Boof had clearly decided that he was not a threat. Now the dog was just interested in having someone rub his belly.

"You're such an attention hog, Boof." She laughed as she watched the Prime now begin to cautiously rub the dog's chest, clearly feeling his anxiety dissipating now that he knew the dog was not something to be cautious of; in fact he found this placid beast to be a rather amusing sight. It was warming to see such easy loyalty.

No wonder humans called them man's best friend.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and that was when he noticed Tessa crouch down beside him with a soft smile, clearly glowing at the fact that he was now involved in the life of her family; so much closer to her heart than before. She gently clenched the fabric of his vest as she leaned forward, gently planting a soft kiss on his cheek; one of complete comfort and reassurance. She moved away when she heard Lucy giggle at the two of them.

"You look like Mommy and Daddy when you do that!" she said with a smile, "Are you guys gonna have a baby too?"

Oh _God_, Tessa could have died! Optimus was a robot; could he even actually _produce_ a baby? How did you explain that to a child? "N-No Lucy!" she stammered, "You see, uh…you see…"

"_Games time_!" came Phil's voice from inside the house, "_And I don't want any excuses! You're __all__ playing_!"

Lucy jumped up and clapped excitedly, "YAY! Grandpa's getting games ready! Come _on_ Aunt Tessie! I wanna play!" she clapped again, gave Boof a cuddle and then bolted into the house, leaving Tessa to exhale heavily and try to fight down her mad blush. Luckily for her, Optimus had either not understood the magnitude of Lucy's question, or was deliberately choosing to ignore it for her sake. Instead, he turned to Tess with a confused expression.

"…Games?"

Thankful for a subject unrelated to babies, she grinned at him; hoping against hope that her blush would fade soon, "Yeah, family tradition. Once everyone is here, we play family games. What we do varies every year; it could be anything from tug-of-war to a water fight. Whatever we do, the whole family gets into it. Then once we're done with the games, we have a barbeque lunch outdoors. After the barbeque, we give the presents to Dad. Presents have _always_ come after the family lunch; it's been the rule ever since we were kids. Family comes first."

He nodded to show he was following, offering the St Bernard one last belly scratch before he stood up and helped Tessa to her feet, "Then what?"

"Then, if it's still light enough, we might play some more games or something. Once it gets dark, Dad makes a big campfire and he'll sing songs for us. He's really good on the guitar, and when we were kids he used to sing tales to us instead of reading stories. It's really wonderful to be a part of..."

She interlaced her fingers into his before leaning against him and closing her eyes with a smile, absolutely and unabashedly just _enjoying_ the feeling of just being able to feel the skin of his arms against her own; considering that the Holoform was usually dressed in clothing with long sleeves. Not only was it nice to feel his skin on hers, but in shorter sleeves he looked…_sexy_.

"And this year…" she murmured, "…you'll be a part of it too."

**Oh, and just so you guys don't get misled, (**_**or get any ideas hahaha**_**) in answer to Lucy's 'baby' question; NO, Optimus and Tessa will not have a child. **

**Think about it, He's a giant metal robotic being, and the Holoform itself is an artificial body; it doesn't carry the 'genetic material' to be able to create a child. This isn't Twilight, people! Energon won't make a baby! Hahaha**

**(**_**Well, it does, for Cybertronians; not for our Tessa though**_**)**

**That is all; hope you enjoyed!**


	49. Seki Ray

**OH GOD THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE!**

**I must admit, it was actually SimpleRhapsody (**_**many thanks darling! Hahaha**_**) who gave me the idea for a water fight; I decided to team this with some War Games to give Optimus a chance to demonstrate his ttly mad skillz with battle and strategy.**

**Gosh, seriously; I love this chapter so much, especially the way it ends…... Let me know what y'all think!**

**Please?**

The enemy was not in sight, but he knew that they were hiding out there.

Scanning the horizon from his concealed post, his keen blue eyes flickered for any sign of life. He was low on ammunition, but he would make it work; he was a _Prime_, he would not lose this battle. No matter how out of his favour the odds were stacked. Beside him crouched his accomplice, who wore a nervous and gleeful smile as the two of them surveyed the area.

The enemy knew _exactly_ where they were, and was simply waiting for the right moment to strike at them; to take both of them out.

He sensed movement from across the field, and felt the Holoform tighten the grip he had on his weapon. He looked down at his right foot to see his ammunition supply. They only had six left, but he would make it count; he had to.

A figure appeared from behind a crate pile with a massive gun in hand, standing rather ominously in the blazing midday sun. The figure, with a flowing mass of auburn tangles, turned behind and raised an arm, releasing a battle cry with ferocity.

"CHARGE!"

_Blast it to Pit_, he thought, watching as several other figures charged towards him and his comrade. Turning, he lifted the projectile weapon in his hand and raised himself to his feet; hurling it at the largest of the hostiles.

The water balloon burst against Aaron's chest.

The burly trucker stopped in his charge and bore a grin, before turning his attention to Optimus Prime's comrade; Lucy. The little girl squeaked and picked up another water balloon from hers and Optimus' dwindling supply, throwing it at her uncle. This signalled for the Prime to launch their surprise attack.

"FIRE ALL!" he commanded with a roar, pointing at the assailing group with the authority only a leader could command. His ambush attack (_consisting of Riley's wife, Emma, and Phillip_) unleashed a jet stream of water from a set of Super-Soakers from various hiding places on the property. He and Lucy had simply been the bait, and Tessa's team (_Aaron, Riley and Nora; Rachael had opted to stay out and babysit Thomas_) had fallen for it; now he was about to abduct their Captain.

In honour of Optimus' role in the military, they had voted to play a few rounds of war games. The objective of this round was to abduct the commanding 'Captain' of the opposite team, and steal the 'relic' that they kept on them. In true competitive spirit, he and Tessa were each leading a team; seeing as Tess had _insisted_ that she would beat him at least once. Her team's 'relic' was the head of a garden hose, and Optimus' was an old spanner from Phil's shed. The goal was to capture the Captain, steal their relic and make it to the designated checkpoint, with was the old tree on the other side of the property. The catch was though, that the 'relic' had to be separated from the Captain before you could claim the checkpoint.

Captains were not allowed to stand on the sidelines or hide; they had to be a part of the war; and unfortunately for Tessa, Optimus already had her in his sights. He turned to Lucy and clapped a hand on her shoulder as she picked up her Super-Soaker and joined in with Emma and Phil's relentless assault. Tessa's father called out to Optimus with a competitive grin.

"We've got them pinned Commander! Take her down!"

With instinct that was born from years of battle experience, his Holoform leapt over the crates that he and Lucy had used as their barricade and charged at the currently distracted and _saturated_ enemy Captain. With very little effort, he scooped her into his arms and took off in the opposite direction, towards the house which was the halfway mark between their current position and the checkpoint. First, he had to get her out of the sight of her teammates so that he could acquire the 'relic' from her without them trying to aid her.

However he hadn't expected her to be so _defiant_! She struggled and wiggled in his grasp with a yell, "Oh no you _don't_!" she yelled competitively, "I'm not losing _another_ round to you!" As they rounded the side of the house, she managed to jolt herself from his grasp and attempted to run from him; however the soldier in him caused him to grip her wrist. Firmly, but not in any way harming her; _Primus_ he would _never_ hurt her. Pulling her towards him and using his momentum to swing her, he pressed her firmly against the brick wall of the house; one hand pressing on her shoulder being all he needed to pin her there. She looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes as he looked down at her, feeling _unusually_ competitive.

It was _wonderful_ to be able to use his strategic abilities in a battlefield where nobody was going to die; and the sheer adrenaline rush that came from the fun and games of it all seemed to have rushed to his head. He glanced down at her briefly and noticed that she still had a water balloon in her right hand that she had seemingly forgotten about as he stared at her intensely.

"Tell me, Captain," he rumbled deeply at her, unknowingly causing her skin to break out in goose bumps at the sound of his voice, "where are you hiding that relic?"

Having him so close to her was giving a damned _fever_! She was blushing so hard right now, but to his surprise, her eyelids slid halfway closed; offering him something that resembled a seductive smirk.

"I don't divulge my secrets to the enemy…" she said in mock seriousness, lowering her voice to a murmur, "I guess you'll just have to search me, you evil tyrant."

An amused chuckle rumbled its way up the Holoform's throat at her words; she was _playing_ with him now. Teasing him at his own game; knowing that she would never beat him at a strategy exercise like this. His hand that pinned her shoulder now traced circles against her skin with his thumb before gently drawing his fingers toward her face; tenderly cupping the junction of her ear and her throat. She hitched a breath as she looked up at him, eyes half-lidded as she watched him.

"What would you ask of me, my dangerous foe?" he growled, his Cybertronian blue eyes _burning_ into her. The tree was only a few yards behind him and all he had to do was find where the 'relic' was on her person and break for it; but he could care less at that moment. He was far too distracted having her wedged between himself and the wall.

Tessa smirked at him, her voice low and playful as she spoke, "You going to _search me_ for it, Captain?"

He would never admit it out loud, but this playful banter with her pretending to be in a commanding, military role, was incredibly intriguing to him right now. He'd never seen her play such a role, and it was…strangely exciting. He enjoyed seeing how she pretended that they were star-crossed enemies on a battlefield in a war.

With a smirk, he maintained strong eyes contact with her as he spoke, "It seems you leave me little choice." With that, he found himself completely _unable_ to resist pressing his lips against hers; relishing in her surprised squeak as he did so. He filed through his mind to find the information he had gathered from the night they had first kissed, trying to mirror what it was that she had done. Gently trapping her bottom lip between his teeth, he sucked softly at the skin; his left hand still gripping the junction of her throat in an attempt to anchor himself from the sensations. His right hand rested tentatively on her hip before he slid it around to the small of her back as he kissed her; and that was when something nicked the edge of the Holoform's pinkie finger. Lowering his hand to investigate, he realized that it was the piece of 'hose head' that he was supposed to take from her; it had been tucked into the hem of her shorts in an attempt to keep it hidden. This made him smile against her mouth, splitting their kiss for a moment.

"I hate to inform you," he murmured breathlessly, "but I just found your relic. This means you're about to lose…"

However his confidence was both shattered and eradicated when Tessa completely ignored his statement, instead uttering what could only be referred to as a _growl_ before she lifted her left hand and grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling his back down to her and crashing her mouth on his once more. Optimus found himself utterly _stunned_, and his eyes widened in surprise as he noted the difference in her kisses. This time they were fierce and demanding, almost _desperate_; and he found himself unable to dislike the administrations she was giving him.

Her tongue traced along the inside of his mouth, eliciting an unexpected, almost _embarrassing_ moan from him before she pressed forward into him; her mouth moving tantalizingly against his. He found himself eventually turned around and noticed that they had switched places; _he_ was now the one up against the bricks.

Tessa's left hand unhooked itself from his hair and splayed itself onto the Holoform's chest before dragging her hand down to his waist; moving her grasp to the small of his back. She was mirroring as he had done.

However where he had stopped at the small of her back, her hand continued to trail downwards; eventually sliding into the back pocket of the denim jeans he wore. So intoxicated he was by the sensation of her mouth on his, that he did not notice her fingers locate the spanner in his back pocket as she parted their lips and whispered to him.

"Actually, _Captain_," she breathed, "It's _you_ who just lost…"

Before he could stop his head from swimming and make sense of her words, she pulled her hand from his back pocket, spanner and all; and broke the water balloon that was still in her right hand, onto his head. The liquid from inside it exploded into his hair and streamed into his face as she darted away from him; laughing violently as she ran.

She was running for the _checkpoint_!

Suddenly it all made sense; she had been _playing_ with him as a distraction. She had used the only card that she had to play against him in this game; her _charm_. With an amused, but competitive growl rumbling up his chest, he gave chase.

"_Tessa_!" he called after her, running as fast as the Holoform's feet would carry him, hoping to capture her before she reached the tree. But she was already too far ahead, she had touch the tree and screamed out her victory for all the team to hear.

She had won.

-0-0-0-0-0-

After the final games had been played (_Tessa's team lost 1 to 4_) the entire congregation had sat down in the sun for lunch, using the late afternoon sun to dry their saturated clothes while Phil, Aaron and Riley cooked up a feast.

Optimus and Tessa's 'fasting' excuse for the Autobot worked perfectly, but for everyone else there were steaks, hotdogs, chops, potato salads, pastas and barbeque cooked steak-fries. A long, wooden picnic table was set up out in the sun near an outdoor barbeque and everyone had enjoyed an afternoon of food, alcohol and conversation.

During the course of the gathering, Tessa's mother had _somehow_ managed to avoid her daughter and tell Optimus a few embarrassing stories about her childhood; mostly the ones about how she would streak through the house naked as a child, or the ones about silly, embarrassing things that she did on dates. Like the time she'd been taken out to a romantic movie with a boy and ended up laughing through the entire thing; throwing popcorn up in front of the projector during the emotional scenes. Or the time when she was 17 and a boy from her class had taken her out paddle-boating; she'd tripped on the way out of the lake, crashed into the boy she was with and knocked him into the water. Needless to say he hadn't taken her out again.

Despite Tessa's evident embarrassment, Optimus had found these stories wonderful and _endearing_; giving him a glimpse as to the sort of person his Tessa was before he had come into her life.

Optimus was also subjected to drinks with Phil, Aaron and Riley; which actually turned into a slight contest between Aaron and Phil, who in turn challenged Optimus. Sensible, level-headed Riley had _no_ intention of getting involved with his to competitive relatives. Phil and Aaron could both hold their liquor quite well, and had gotten off to a good start. However, Optimus, (_who didn't really understand why he had to consume the drinks that were constantly being poured for him, but went along with it out of respect_) was an Autobot; the Holoform used alcohol as a legitimate fuel source. As a result, he felt no intoxication whatsoever from the beverage; a fact with earned him massive respect from the two competitive males. He found that after his initial cautiousness towards Tessa's father, the man was actually a very reasonable and intelligent man. It was easy to see where Tess got her core values, because Phil very openly believed in hard work, perseverance and loyalty; a value which he had not only passed to Tessa, but to her brothers as well.

Optimus found himself greatly impressed to see men of such integrity in the little mechanic's life.

The late afternoon lunch stretched on until the sun faded over the horizon and eventually stars began to dot their way onto the inky black canvas of sky. It was by the light of a torch, after all the presents had been opened and a birthday cake had been consumed that Phil, Tessa and her brothers gathered together a massive pile of firewood into a large ring of stones to one side of the property.

The circumference of the fire pit was about two and a half metres, and was surrounded by old wooden benches and laden with a few picnic rugs.

Once everyone was settled and comfortable, Phil had brought out his guitar and had played Happy Birthday so that the entire congregation could sing along. Optimus, who did not know the words, had simply watched with a smile; finding himself awed by the sense of love and togetherness that Tessa's entire family seemed to emanate.

_This_ was what he fought for; people like them who deserved their lives…their _freedom_.

Currently he was sitting comfortably on one of the picnic rugs around the fire, his head rested on Tessa's stomach at her insistence. She lay flat on her back, happily and absently running her fingers through the Holoform's silken tresses as they listened to the fire crackling; it was very late at night and the two of them were finally really alone together.

Lucy had been the first to fall asleep after baby Thomas, and Riley had opted to take his leave and head home. He and Emma were both tired after the day's events, and with a small baby constantly waking up at night, they'd decided it was time to get home to bed and get some rest. Rachael had followed suit not long after; explaining that she had to work the next morning.

Aaron, who due to Tessa and Optimus being his ride home; had suggested they stay the night, to which Phil and Nora had agreed without any hesitation. They enjoyed having family stay over, and considering that there was only on spare room with a double bed, he'd taken up the couch to sleep on; a subtle gesture of his acceptance to Optimus by suggesting they sleep in the same room.

Phil and Nora had taken Boof to their room and gone to sleep only a short while ago; leaving the two lovers alone by the fire to take some time to themselves.

"Did you have fun today?" Tess asked gently, gazing into the inky sky vacantly; a feeling of complete contentment blanketing her shoulders as she stroked his hair.

Still unused to the marvellous sensation of having his hair played with, Optimus had to separate his mind from the pleasant chills trailing down the spine of his Holoform before he could answer, "I found today…incredible," he answered honestly, "I had never experienced the things that I did with your family. I will confess, I was terrified of the idea that you family would deem me unworthy of you; but they are warm, and reasonable. And they _care_ about one another so deeply. It was…_humbling_ in a way, I suppose."

Tess gave a soft giggle, tracing gently at his hair as she glanced down at him; observing the outline of his face against the light of the fire. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she didn't ever want to look away from him; he was beautiful.

"What about the games? The lunch? This?" she murmured sleepily, gesturing to the way that they were laying now.

Optimus gave a soft, rumbling chuckle. "The games were wonderful. It was a wonderful experience to use war skills for something that was not _malicious_ in nature. In regard to the lunch, I must confess that it was…_humorous_ to see your father and brother intoxicate themselves to the point of _illness_; though I don't understand why."

A soft, breathy laugh escaped her, "It's a guy thing…" she whispered distantly; almost vacantly, "…most humans don't understand it either…"

Another gentle rumble reverberated his chest, quieter this time. He was exhausted and on the brink of stasis; given that he'd used a lot of energy to maintain the Holoform _all_ day. It wasn't an impossible feat for him to do, but that didn't mean that it was _easy_. Lifting an arm over his head, he took Tessa's hand and started to absently trace circles into her skin; still enjoying the novel feeling of skin to skin contact.

"In answer to your last question," he murmured, "_this_, is the part of today that I will cherish the most. To be able to provide you with moments that are as human as this…it's wonderful to be able to return the gesture to you; the way you interact with me as…_me_."

Tessa's voice had lowered to barely above a whispered breath as she responded to him; her fingers slow as they tickled through his hair, "…I wouldn't have you…any other way…"

"Nor I you," he concluded, "I only wish that I had endeavoured to search this world and found you _sooner_… By Primus…if I had known you existed…I'd have moved the stars to find you…"

He was silent for a few minutes, contemplative in his own thoughts before he realized that Tessa's hand had stopped moving within his hair. Gently lifting his head, her hand fell softly onto her stomach as he gaze at her face; her eyes were closed and her breathing was soft and even. She was on the very _brink_ of slumber, and she looked so radiant in the orange glow of the fire that he couldn't help but lift a hand to stroke the side of her face. She made a tiny murmured before a whisper escaped her.

"…Optimus…?" she breathed, not opening her eyes or moving from her relaxed position.

"…Mm?" he asked gently, trailing his knuckles over her cheekbones tenderly, savouring the warmth despite how exhausted he was.

She was barely conscious right now, but her mind was demanding to be heard; ignoring the girl's bleary state. Her voice had dropped to barely a sound at all.

"…I love you…"

He felt the Holoform's Spark stop for a brief moment before it _sang_ with joy at her words. His chest felt as though it were filled with a thousand supernovas as he chuckled and leaned over her, planting a soft kiss to her forehead before he whispered against her skin, "And I you…my Tessa."

She made a soft sound upon hearing his words, a gentle smile passing her face as she slipped away. True, she may have been on the border of sleep and her comprehension minimal, but Optimus knew that she understood what she had said; what _he_ had said. They both knew the emotions of the other by now; it was magnetic, something they just gravitated with. With a tender smile, he slid his arm around her neck and tucked the other under her knees; drawing her in protectively to his chest so that he could kiss her forehead once more.

"Enough talk for one day…" he whispered to her, his fingers tracing the nape of her neck lovingly as he buried his face into her hair, "Let's get you inside."


	50. Don't Want To Miss A Thing

**Okay, so I know the ending is a little cheesy; but I wanted to display an emotional sense of acceptance and comfort, so you'll forgive me if it's a little fairy tale-ish (**_**After all, OP is the perfect gentleman; a real 'knight in shining armour' hahahaha**_**)**

**Anyhow this chapter; despite being a little on the shorter side, is pretty gosh darn awesome. Since you guys are being so gosh-darn patient in waiting for the lemons, I decided to throw a little make-out session your way to tide you over!**

**As usual, kissing scenes; especially those with sexual back-play, are still very new to me; so your feedback is REALLY, REALLY appreciated. I need to know what I'm doing right or wrong to improve!**

**Enjoy ;)**

**P.S. Megatron is illiterate HAHAHA!**

It had required very little effort on his part to carry Tessa through the house.

Under her bleary, sleep-laden guidance, he found the room that they were staying in without the need to turn on any lights; given that he could see in the dark. Since her family assumed he was human; they had thought that he would be sharing the room with Tess; not knowing for even a second that he was actually the Peterbilt rested outside the house.

With a soft sigh, he closed the bedroom door quietly behind him without turning on the light at all; not wanting to wake anyone else in the home.

As he lowered her feet to the floor and held a protective arm around her waist, he guided her to sit on the edge of the bed; suddenly remembering that humans apparently did not like to stasis in their 'day clothes'. Standing before her as she sat on the bed, he gently grasped her chin between the Holoform's thumb and forefinger and guided her face to look up at him.

"Tessa," he said gently, trying to rouse her, "where are the sleeping clothes?"

She cracked her eyes open slightly, regaining some of her comprehension upon realizing that Optimus needed her help. Pointing weakly at the chest of drawers across from them, she murmured, "shirts and shorts…second drawer…" then she leaned forward, tucking her legs under her bottom and propping her elbows on her knees; resting her head in her hands sleepily.

Obediently, the Prime reluctantly left her side; worried she might fall over if he let her go. However she seemed just fine in her current position, and so he opened the second set of drawers, pulling out something he assumed would fit her. It was a pair of baggy, blue cotton boxer shorts and a dark grey t-shirt. Both items would probably be too large for her; given that they seemed to belong to her father, but he concluded that they would have to do. Quietly crossing the carpet, he stood before her and tenderly ran a hand through her hair.

"You need to change your clothing," he said gently, "I have them here…would you like me to wait outside the door?"

To his surprise, she lolled her head lazily against her chest and raised her arms over her head sleepily, "I trust you…" she whispered gently.

A prickle seeped its way up his spine, and he recognized it as uncertainty. He wasn't _precisely_ sure how garments worked, so he studied the clothing closely before continuing. While the Holoform did _wear_ clothes, he'd never actually _dressed_; so he took a moment to process which way the clothing was supposed to go. The t-shirt he realized had a large gap in the centre, and two smaller ones at the side; eventually he realized that these were allocated places for a head and the arms. Finally understanding, he slipped his fingers gently under the hem of her shirt and pulled it gently up over her head, dropping it to the side of the bed before he picked up the t-shirt.

He was _determined_ not to look at her form in a state of undress; certainly not while she was in her current state. He would _not_ take advantage of his Tessa.

Not to say that it wasn't _difficult_ to avoid the temptation.

Gently and carefully, he worked the collar of the shirt over her head and took her wrists; guiding her hands through their assigned spaces before he sighed; realizing that now he would embarrassingly have to learn the _shorts_. However, her hand on his chest stopped him; drawing his attention to her instead.

She leaned forward, raised herself up on her knees and rested her forehead against his chest; nestling in the gap between his Holoform's pectoral muscles. She sat there quietly for a moment, her exhalations warming the skin underneath the fabric of his shirt; before her fingers trailed feather-lightly up his chest and twining themselves into the fabric. While her behaviour was certainly not unpleasant, it _did_ confuse him a little.

"Tess…?" he asked softly, trying to coax her to look at him, "…are you alright?"

Slowly she looked up at him, her eyes tired but clear; she was more awake now, despite being a little drowsy. His soft and concerned expression burning into her very heart, and she felt her chest swell with so much _love_ that it was almost unbelievable. He was incredible, and he didn't even _see_ just how wonderful he was in her eyes; sleep pushed itself to the back of her mind as she felt the will to make him s_ee_ it.

Suddenly, he felt the hands on his shirt tighten their grip and he was jerked forward; her lips crashing up to meet his. He was leaning over her trying to stay standing and support his weight, but that was when he noticed that she was lowering herself on her knees again and pulling him with her. She moved her mouth against his, her nails biting into the skin underneath his shirt before she dropped back, pulling him forward with her. A surprised exclamation made its way from his throat as he was yanked down; having to place a leg either side of her hips to avoid crushing her and his arms bracing his from either side of her shoulders.

"Tessa-" he choked, unable to disguise the evident surprise in his voice, "Wh-what are you doing…?"

Her fingers were still firmly caught up in the fabric of the shirt as she looked up at him; her expression surprisingly serious. "I meant what I said, Chief." She whispered, "I _love_ you. Not just…some stupid ass words that some high-school girl says... I'm _in love_ with you."

He gave an amused, whispering chuckle as he regarded her beneath him; her hair splayed out over the sheets and the light of the moon casting a pearlescent glow over her pale skin.

"I doubt it is necessary for me to inform you that I am also _in love_ with you," he replied, mimicking her tone at the words before he licked his lips; tasting her there, "but that…does not explain why you just…did that."

Her right hand loosened from its grip on his placed before trailing down is stomach; tracing the ligature of his abdominal muscles and sending _chills_ up the spine of the Holoform, making his skin break out in strange minute bumps.

Gooseflesh, they called it.

"What I _want_," she whispered, "is for you to _kiss_ me, Optimus. Right now."

Not waiting for him to respond, her left hand tightened its grip on the fabric and pulled his down to her; pressing her lips against his once more. She breathed a relieved sound through her nose as he started to reciprocate her movements by nipping at her bottom lip gently. Tessa's left hand eventually slid up his pectoral muscle, trailed over the skin of his neck and twined its way into his hair as she kissed him; gently coaxing his mouth open with her tongue. He was still tentative about kissing; still a little unsure about exactly how it was done.

And Tessa _still_ enjoyed teaching him.

His hands remained restricted at her shoulders, clearly he was not permitting himself to touch her in such a questionably tired state; not wanting to take advantage of the situation. However she did notice that as their kiss became more heated, and she trailed her mouth hungrily against the hollow of his throat; his hands clenched the sheets below him into fists in an attempt to control himself. She couldn't help but smile gently against his skin, a little embarrassed as she realized the effect she was having on him.

She would never admit it allowed, but the idea of him losing his inhibitions and acting so human…was _hot_.

Reattaching her lips to his and sliding her tongue along his teeth; she tasted the metal twinge of his mouth, something that had become increasingly addictive simply because the taste was _him_. Her right hand, which had been obediently stationed on his stomach, slid down the musculature of his abdomen and her fingers twiddled with the hem of his shirt. Tess softly tucked her fingers beneath the fabric and touched them to the raw skin just underneath his navel; which suddenly caused a gasp to escape him as he broke their kiss.

"T-Tessa…" he whispered breathlessly, "We…need to stop…"

Respectfully, her hand fell from beneath his shirt, but she gripped his hair with her other hand gently, looking up at him with a confused expression.

"Why?" she asked, her exhalations heavy after their heavy little 'make-out'.

He shook his head and moved to cup her face with one hand, "Because if we continue our course of action…I fear I won't be _able_ to stop. My restraint is far more…_limited_ with you."

She traced along his jaw with a smile as she breathed a laugh, "What's wrong with continuing this course of action? I don't object."

He shook his head and looked at her with a serious expression, "Tessa, I will not do this here; in the home of your father, and certainly not while you are so exhausted from what we participated in today."

She looked up at him with a blush, a cheeky smile crossing her features, "Oh? Are you implying that I'll need a certain level of _stamina_ to continue this?"

His Cybertronian eyes cast an almost eerie blue glow on her face as he looked at her intensely, a soft and authorative smile sneaking onto his face; he was dead serious as he spoke though, "You need sleep right now. I will not do what you ask, not here; not like this…" he dropped himself onto his elbows and nuzzled his nose into her collarbone before he lowered his voice to a rumbling whisper, "…The day you and I interface, you will remember every second; every _sensation_…I promise. But for tonight…"

Tessa felt her entire body break out in heckles as he traced the collar of her t-shirt with one finger before gently trailing it down her right arm and intertwining his fingers with hers. She swallowed thickly as he looked at her with his intensely _blue_ gaze before she cracked out a whisper, prompting him to continue, "Tonight…?"

He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead before touching his to hers; their noses brushing together, "Tonight I will hold you until you fall asleep, and then I will watch you dream before I go into stasis beside you."

She couldn't help but smile at his words; it was the most romantic thing that had ever been said to her, and that fact alone made her just want to _kiss_ him again. However she resisted, instead deciding to make his refusal work in her favour.

"Alright," she whispered, untangling her left hand from his hair and trailing her fingers along his jawline, "but I have one condition."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, and she had to hold back a giggle at how bizarre the gesture looked coming from him, "A condition?"

She nodded with a smile before her fingers trailed down from his jaw and tucked into the collar of his shirt, tugging it gently, "You go without this until I fall asleep."

His eyes widened in surprise at the request, but after the initial shock; he allowed a chuckle to rumble up his chest, "Very well…but perhaps you'd best dress yourself in _these_." Lifting himself off of her, he picked up the cotton shorts that had been dropped carelessly on the edge of the mattress and handed them to her, "_Then_, I will remove what covers the Holoform's torso."

Once she had taken the shorts from his hand, he turned around and waited; his back to her for a few minutes before her voice gently sounded from the bed.

"Done." She said softly.

No sooner than she had said so, than a set of slight, luminescent electrical sparks gathered around him; clouding around his legs and torso and creating an almost glowing effect. When they finally disintegrated, he was standing in a pair of plain black cotton pants…and nothing else.

From her place on the bed, she could see the curves and muscles of his back; the curvature of his spine and the firm, moulded tissue of his arms. He was not big like Ironhide, but with his broad shoulders and tall stance, he was certainly not someone you would underestimate. His build was slightly leaner than Aaron's; but well-formed and, to her, _perfectly_ muscled. She smirked at his back.

"So, you going to turn around and give me a peek, Chief?" she asked cheekily, sitting cross-legged on the mattress.

With a heavy, amused sigh, he slowly turned to face her; his arms raised in a 'well?' gesture. He approached her and sat easily on the bed beside her, noticing her staring not at his chest itself, but at the off-centre of his pectoral muscles where his Spark would be located.

"What…?" she gasped, reaching forward, "What _is_ that…?"

Her fingers touched the skin there; and in the back of his mind, Optimus took note of how _incredible_ the skin-to-skin sensation was. Marring the flesh was a large, discoloured patch of skin with a visible scar in the centre of it; a representation of an injury. He placed his hand over Tessa's and pressed her palm to it as he looked her in the eye.

"Holoform's represent our true selves," he explained, "…you may have noticed Ironhide's scar over his eye, yes?"

She nodded dumbly, showing that she was following; despite her awe.

"Well this," he pressed her hand flush against him to emphasise his point, "was where I was struck…right through my Spark chamber when Megatron took my life. It entered from the back…"

She gasped in a whisper, and Optimus noticed that her eyes welled up in the very corners; her emotions brimming on the surface as she spoke, "This was…where he took you away from me…?" she choked, tracing the skin tenderly as she fought to keep the emotional memories from _drowning_ her.

"Yes."

Closing her eyes, she felt a single tear escape the side of one of them before she lowered her head to his chest and snaking an arm around to his spine, looking for the matching scar on the back. With a heavy exhale, she planted her lips against the one on his chest tenderly; a sign of acceptance and memory as she clasped his hand. Then she removed her lips and placed her forehead against the scar as a few more silent tears escaped her, several of them falling onto his skin.

"He won't take you from me again…" she whispered as she fought with her memories of when he had died; when he was _gone_, "…I won't let him."

His Spark felt heavy with emotion, empathising with how much pain his death had probably caused her; he didn't even want to _imagine_ what he would have gone through if she had been the one who had died. As the very thought crossed his mind, he ached horribly just at the _suggestion_; causing him to bring his arms around her and cradle her to his chest like a little Sparkling. He shushed her gently, rocking slightly as he held her flush against him.

"Everything is all right, Tessa…" he murmured into her hair, "I am here _now_, and I will not leave you like that again."

She breathed heavily against his skin as she replied in a whispered whine, "I know…"

He smiled and ran a hand gently over her hair, "Lie down," he hummed to her gently, "I am going to keep you right here until you fall asleep, there is nothing outside of my arms. Do not think about Megatron, or what he has done to us; right now you only exist _here_."

Optimus pressed her hand to his Spark and coaxed her to pull the covers over herself; pressing her back to his chest and twining his arms around her firmly. Her exhaustion was finally winning out, and her tears had not really helped it either; with a soft smile he planted a kiss to her shoulder and cradled her warmly.

"Sleep," he whispered as she obediently began to drift away, "I am right here."


	51. Hearts Burst Into Fire

**GAWD I'M SLEEPY RIGHT NOW!**

**Nice long chapter for you guys this time!**

**Just a very quick Author's Note; the 'signature scenting' with OP and Tess in this chapter is something that only came to mind WHILE I was writing it hahaha.**

**Please bear in mind that it is NOT Sparkbonding, it has NOTHING TO DO with it at all, it's simply the bearing of a genetic signature; a **_**smell**_** so to speak.**

**Again, SimpleRhapsody has inspired me with her awesomeness; I used her idea of forehead contact being a Cybertronian gesture. While it doesn't mean quite the same thing that it does in her fic, I still got the basic prompt from her; so I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND! If you do, I will quite happily change it!**

**Anyhow, Reviews are loved; as always. **

**ENJOY!**

"Are you ill?" Ratchet asked conversationally, waving a wrench in her general direction as he spoke.

Tessa looked up at him with a confused expression, "No…why; do I _look_ sick?"

The vibrant yellow medic bot shook his head in response before he spoke again, "Not particularly. You just seem…unusually _quiet_ today; is there something wrong with learning how to wire an Energon gun?" his tone was relatively serious, but she could hear the underlying concern in his voice; he was trying to make sure she was alright without lowering his gruff and professional exterior. She gave a smile at his adverse humour and looked up at him.

"No, of course not; It's just…my brother went back to work yesterday. He's a truck driver, so I don't get to see him often when he goes out on the road."

Ratchet was silent for a moment, "…He was the one that stayed in your home; correct?"

Tess nodded in response; picking up a piece of wire in her section of the cannon before shrugging vaguely, "Yeah. I guess I just miss him when he goes; we're a close family."

There was a moment of dim quiet as her voice trailed off; the two of them working on the firearm (_one of Mudflap's basic weapons_) before she heard Ratchet clear his vocal processor awkwardly.

"I thought about you research for the temperature weapon; while you and Optimus were gone…" he said conversationally; hoping to distract her from her misery. This got her attention, and suddenly she looked up at him with a bewildered and curious expression.

"Really? What about it?"

"You won't be able to create any sort of valid prototype unless you perform some controlled tests on reactive subjects." She looked a little bit confused, so he decided to explain it in a little more detail, "If you're going to try and create a weapon that will either kill or handicap a Decepticon; you will first need to _test_ it to see if it actually _works_ on them. I was thinking about this while you were away, and I've decided that the next time we hunt Decepticons; I'm bringing you back some samples."

"…Samples?" she echoed, "You mean like…_body parts_? But if they're not alive…how do I test them?"

Ratchet found her naivety amusing. For all her ingeniousness with mechanics and fusion engineering; she still knew so _little_ of how their species _functioned_. "The body parts of a Decepticon are still reactive after they have been amputated; still _living_, in a sense. A similar process, I suppose, to an earth spider. The detached limb of a Decepticon will still react to heat or cold if we expose it to them. I will make sure to try and secure some samples for you the next time we have a mission. Perhaps you and I can run some controlled tests on them then."

Tessa suddenly gave a laugh and shook her head in disbelief. "This is hilarious!" she exclaimed, "Most people bring back a t-shirt as their souvenirs, but you Ratchet…" she paused to laugh again before continuing, "…_you_ bring back body parts."

He shrugged nonchalantly, clearly not bothered by his own apparent, cold-blooded attitude; after all, this was in the name of science. What had to be done, simply had to be done; and that was the matter of it. "If you don't want me to…" he said seriously, an underlying cheeky tone lacing his voice; Tessa scoffed and picked up a bolt that was strewn on the table before throwing it at him playfully.

It hit him in the chest before bouncing off and rolling away somewhere, "Oh don't you _even_, Ratch! I appreciate the gesture; it would be an incredible help, thank you." She smiled up at him before stretching her arms high above her head and arching her back; feeling her spine crack in several places as she unbent herself, "I'm gonna take five and go get some Skittles. I'll be back soon to help you finish, okay?"

Having already delved back into his work, the medic nonchalantly waved her away as somebody would a small, pestering child. She smiled at the motion and jumped down from her chair; heading towards the barracks hangar so that she could get the Skittles from her locker.

She enjoyed working with Ratchet; it wasn't very often in her life where she'd had somebody who knew more about machines than she did, someone who could _teach_ her. Despite his seemingly indifferent and professional demeanour, she knew that his heart -or Spark- was in the right place and that he genuinely cared about his comrades. She pinned it down to the fact that as a medical officer, he had probably watched a lot of teammates die in the war; and because of that it didn't pay to get too personally involved with others.

It was sad in a way; and she felt for him, she really did. But either way he still had people that were important to him; and she liked to think that she was one of them, at least in a small way.

Stepping out of the hangar and into the glaring midday sun, she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that she'd dressed in her work shorts and a tank top; given that it was incredibly hot weather. She _hated_ summer…with a _passion_! Especially when it was humid, because it would make her hair stick to her and her clothes would get annoyingly uncomfortable.

As she reached the barracks and headed into the locker room, she wiped her hand across the back of her forehead and exhaled heavily; relieved for the air-conditioning in the locker room.

Twisting her combination into the dial, she pulled open her assigned locker and picked up a fresh bag of her fruit lollies from the shelf, tearing a small corner and dropping some into her palm. Tipping her head back, she tossed them into her mouth and chewed happily before rolling the packet and stuffing it into her pocket.

It was two days since her father's birthday gathering; she had taken the Monday off considering that she hadn't gotten to bed until very late the Sunday night. Optimus, true to his word, had maintained the Holoform until she fell asleep in his arms; but she had woken up on her own. When she had questioned him about this, he'd explained that given his own lack of energy from exerting the Holoform for an entire day, it had flickered a short time after she'd fallen asleep and he'd been forced to let it dissipate. When she'd woken up and exited her room, she'd found he had already reactivated it from the truck and was conversing with her mother; who had resumed her favourite activity of gushing proudly over her daughter.

It was Tuesday now, the first day that she'd been back at work since their weekend together, and she'd spent the entire day in Ratchet's company; having wanted to bounce some prototype and research ideas off of the medic.

As she pondered her thoughts, she heard an engine approaching and turned to see the sleek, silver Corvette approaching her; rolling to a stop beside her as she walked slowly across the tarmac.

"Hey, Swipe." Tess said, smiling affectionately at the sports car, "What's up?"

The sound of hydraulics was heard as he changed into his bipedal form and crouched beside her with as close to a grin as his metallic matter would allow.

"Not a lot," he replied jovially, leaning his face in close to look at her, "Just wanted to say hello."

Tessa scoffed at him and shook her head with an amused smile and pointed at him, "Liar," she accused with a smirk, "_you_ just want details about the weekend." She playfully pressed her palm to the plates on his face and pretended to push him; obviously unable to do so due to the size and weight difference.

He laughed and mockingly raised his hands in surrender; her own palm still pressed to the space that acted as the bridge of his nose. "Alright, alright I confess; I'm absolutely just-"

All of a sudden, Sideswipe completely paused his words, appearing confused about something. Tessa looked up at him in concern.

"Sides? Are you okay; wh-what's wrong?" she asked worriedly, cocking her head to the side.

The Corvette bot inhaled deeply, his expression still perplexed. That was one of the things that still _amazed_ Tess about the Autobots; the fact that despite being made of metal, their faces had just as much animation as any human.

"Sideswipe-?" she repeated before he cut her off.

"-No, nothing is wrong," he said quickly, "It's not that; there's just…" furrowing the metal of his brow as his blue optics focused on the hand that was pressed to his face. He raised his left arm and carefully held her forearm between his massive thumb and forefinger; sniffing the air intently before he spoke again, "You… it's only faint, but…you smell of Optimus."

Tessa made a choking noise and withdrew her hand, looking at it as though she had been bitten by something.

"I…do?" She tentatively raised the arm to her face and pressed her nose to her skin; inhaling deeply, "But…I don't _smell_ anything!" she exclaimed confusedly.

To this, Sideswipe shook his head, his elbows rested on his knees as he looked her in the eye.

"Of course you don't; humans can't pick up on our Energon signatures. Tell me, all personal curiosity aside; did you interface with Optimus' Holoform?"

She flashed scarlet, but shook her head furiously, "_No_! No we didn't."

"But you touched the Holoform, yes? Human contact; correct?"

"W-well of _course_ I did. We kissed and he held me, I was touching the Holoform constantly; why? What's this about?"

Sideswipe appeared perplexed, but seemed a little more at ease now that he had located the source of the scent. "Every Transformer, whether they're an Autobot or a Decepticon, has a unique Energon signature; a _scent_ that we can detect. Being soldiers, we've learned to guard our signals against Decepticons so that they can't locate us; but we can still detect our allies. It's complicated, the closest thing I suppose for you to compare it to is…um…"

"Like radar?" she offered, "With like…hostiles and friendlies?"

"Yeah! Exactly!"

She looked at her hand once more, turning it over to view each side with a confused expression, "But…I still don't understand what that has to do with _me_?"

Sideswipe rolled his eyes in a mockingly exasperated tone before deciding he would have to explain; she was like a little Sparkling sometimes.

"Because you've been in near constant contact with Optimus' Holoform all weekend, in what I'm guessing were probably a few minor _compromising_ ways; am I right?" She flushed scarlet, but didn't deny it, "Exactly, anyway; because of that some of his Energon signature has applied itself to to. I can detect it; in fact I'm surprised Ratchet hasn't said anything, haven't you been with him all morning?"

"Well…yeah… Wait! But, what I don't get is…" she pressed a finger to her temple as she contemplated her words, trying to wrap her head around the concept, "I've been in constant contact with the _real_ Optimus for…for _months_. Why wouldn't you have…_smelt_ something before now?"

Sideswipe shook his head, "In our bipedal forms, the signature transfers usually occur on the face; and it's much stronger than what you've got on you. A Holoform's Energon signature is weaker; kind of like trying to rub perfume on someone through a glove. It's the same scent…just a lot weaker. But the transfer usually only happens in the case of a mate; or in yours and Optimus' case, a _potential_ mate. But it's usually subconscious…a Transformer can't converge their signature unless the Spark knows it will be willingly received. Did anything…romantically _important_ happen between the two of you?"

Tess visibly fidgeted now, but she wanted answers; so she answered his question despite her embarrassment at the situation.

"Well…we kissed? Uh…oh! There was a moment with the Holoform when he showed me the scar on his chest, where Mega-" she stopped and choked on her own words, hating to have to say that _thing's_ name; despite her having no idea who he was or what he looked like. All she knew was that he had taken her Optimus away from her once already, and she _hated_ him for it, "where _Megatron_ stabbed him through the Spark…Would that have changed anything with Chief's Energon signature?"

Pondering for a moment, Sideswipe shook his head, "No. It's emotional, I'll give it that…but it's not enough for his Spark to have noted you as willing to receive the scent… What could've…" he trailed off into his own curious pondering before the answer hit Tessa like a ten-tonne Transformer.

"Wait! I think I know what it might be…" she felt herself smile at the memory; her eyes growing distance as she recalled the conversation they'd had by the fire, "I…I told him that I loved him."

A whirring noise came from Sideswipe's form as he shifted rapidly to look at her, "You _did_; really? What did he say?"

She looked at him curiously, "He said that he loved me; why? Does it really matter what he said?"

"Of _course_ it does!" he insisted, sounding deadly serious for once, "For a Cybertronian to actually confess _love_ on a romantic level is…well, it's not exactly something to take lightly. Our race feels much more deeply and eternally than yours; and a confession like that has a massive amount of magnitude to it. Especially coming from Optimus…He's never been one to let others in on a _personal_ level very often, it's a dangerous thing to do when everyone around you has the capability of being offlined."

Tessa gave a soft smile and crossed her arms around herself, her heart swelling lovingly just thinking about how much he meant to her, "I know that. I know what you mean by it…not letting people close, especially during a war like yours…it just sets you up for heartbreak when you lose someone." She looked up at Sideswipe and placed a hand on his leg, giving him a serious and loving look, "But I'm not in the centre of this war; I just stand on the sidelines. Even if I _were_ in direct danger because of it, do you really think that I would trade my chance to have met him for the opportunity to be safe again? I wouldn't consider it, Sideswipe; not for a s_econd_."

To her surprise, he chuckled; clearly amused by her dead serious tone, "I know you wouldn't. That's what makes you special to him, Tess. You know exactly what you're running into; but you still won't turn around and get out while you can." He noticed that her shoulders squared a little, seemingly defensive; but not in an aggressive manner.

"I won't be the weak link," She said, and he noticed that her tone seemed a little darker this time; like she'd said this to herself before, "and I will _never_ run away."

Shaking her head at herself as if to try and clear the darker air their conversation had taken, she looked back up at him with her usual expression; the corners of her lip turned up to give her face an open and friendly look, something she always seemed to have.

"So since I haven't seen Optimus in his _actual_ robot form since the weekend…does that mean that next time I'm around him, his signature will rub off on me?"

Sideswipe shrugged vaguely, "More than likely; but the pheromones are emitted from our faces, particularly cheeks and foreheads. You'd probably find it's stronger in the areas where his Cybertronian is written; given that it's an important part of him."

"Good to know, thanks for the information, Sideswipe!" she exclaimed, backing away and looking for the Autobot hangar.

"No problem. H-hey! Where are you going?" he called, seeing that she'd turned in the direction of their hangar. She whirled around without stopping; she had a huge grin on her face that just _screamed_ that she was up to something.

"Do me a favour and tell Ratchet that something came up and I'll be a little late!" she called out to him, "Optimus has some…_paperwork_ that he needs to _sign_!" then she spun back on her heel and kept running towards her destination.

Sideswipe took a few seconds to get the joke, and then he had to chuckle to himself, "Energon _signature_…cute pun, Tess," he shook his head with another amused laugh and headed for the medical bay where Ratchet would be, "You sure know how to pick 'em Optimus Prime…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Tessa had reached the hangar and opened the door; she was both relieved and disappointed to find that Optimus was the only Autobot there. Jolt and Arcee had been taken out for a training exercise with Ironhide earlier that morning, and Sideswipe had _apparently_ been racing with the twins before he'd left to talk to Tess; so Optimus had evidently taken the time to get some recharge from the weekend; it had been tiring for both of them.

As much as she had wanted to see everyone, her mission right now meant that it was probably _better_ that it was just the Prime. He was currently in his Peterbilt form, and given that he made no motion to greet her as she stood before it; she realized that he was in stasis. She felt a little guilty for having come in whilst he was resting, but with Sideswipe's new information tossing itself back and forth in her brain; she didn't want to put this off.

Tess wanted his Energon signature to be recognizable to every Autobot on base.

A gentle, teasing smile came to her features when she decided to play with him a little; to relax him. He got so little chance among his soldiers to lower his guard, and she wanted to offer him the opportunity with her; he didn't have to hide anything in her presence.

Stepping forward, she gently touched her fingertips to the grill of the truck, tracing the chrome tenderly with a soft smile. "Chief…" she whispered airily.

No response.

Keeping the pads of her fingers touching the metal, she walked around to the driver's side of the truck; trailing her hand along the truck with a loving, feather-light touch, "Optimus Prime," she sang quietly, stopping at the driver's side door and thrumming her fingers on the smoke stack. She planted a kiss to the chrome metalwork before hearing a deep rumble from within the heart of the truck; similar to the sound Aaron would make when she had to wake him up early, "Wakey, wakey…" she hummed as she traced her nose over the chrome smoke stack.

"…Tessa…?" he murmured softly, his voice sounding distant as he came to.

"That's my boy…" she shushed soothingly, almost _purring_ at him with pure affection, "I hate to wake you up, Chief…but there's something I need you to do for me."

"Anything."

She paused for a minute, drumming her fingers lightly on his paintwork before she smiled and backed up a little, "Can you transform? I need you to be bipedal for this…"

Despite his tiredness, he agreed; truth be known he was _curious_ to see what she was up to. He shifted into his true form a little slower than usual given his need for stasis; and when he had he realized that Tessa was no longer standing where she was before. He scanned the floor of the hanger almost worriedly. "Tess?" he called.

"Up here, Optimus." Came her voice from behind him. He turned and found her on the walkway; to be closer to eye level with him; he approached slowly and placed a hand on the railing.

"What is it that you need me to do…?" he asked gently.

Tessa bit her bottom lip for a moment, suddenly feeling bad for waking him now that she could see just how much his exhaustion had caught up with him; but since he was awake now she decided to get it over with so that he could go back to sleep.

"Lean in to me," she said gently, "your face; bring it close."

Her answer confused him, but he chose not to ask her why; he would just see what she planned to do. Obediently he craned over the railing and leaned in very close to her, his neon blue optics burning intensely, _cheekily_, into her eyes. "Is this…_close_ enough?" he rumbled.

Tessa, who felt a chill run up her spine just hearing his voice so close, knew her cheeks would be burning right now, but she didn't really care. Her blush did not embarrass her anymore; because Optimus gave her nothing to be embarrassed _about_. Taking a step forward, she raised a hand to touch the vents on his cheek, exhaling a little nervously at what she was about to try and do.

"Close your eyes…" she whispered gently; not wanting to break the quiet atmosphere of the hangar, "trust me."

He obeyed.

She watched his optics shutter closed before she returned her attention to his face. Tracing her hand down the vents of his cheek, she ran her fingertips tenderly over his lips; feeling him press a kiss against her hand as he felt it there. This made her giggle and thrum her fingers scoldingly on his top lip.

"Stop that, you tease," she murmured, serving him a 'punishment' by pressing her own lips to his mouth and planting a kiss there. She was surprised to hear a chuckle rumble from his vocal processor.

"_Me_?" he asked innocently, not opening his optics at all, "I believe _you_ are the one doing the teasing. But by all means…continue."

She smirked to herself, glad that he couldn't see her as she finally settled her hands on the blue plating of his cheeks; running the pads of her fingers over the Cybertronian grooves in the metal. Taking in a bracing breath, she pressed herself against the cold metal surface, causing the Prime to open his optics out of curiosity. She held herself to the plating, her cheek pressed against him firmly. Optimus couldn't take the suspense anymore.

"Tess," he chuckled endearingly, "what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Sideswipe told me about Energon signatures; he smelt the Holoform on me. He said that me telling you that I loved you, and vice versa, probably triggered your Spark trying to…I don't know… '_mark_' me I guess."

He paused for a second before responding, "…He did…? But…what does that have to do with…_this_?"

"He said the Holoform's signature, even though it's still yours, isn't as strong as the one the real you would give off…" she said, backing up a little and holding her hand to his face. Optimus shot her an understanding, but confused expression as he regarded her before him.

"That _is_ true, but that still doesn't explain why you are doing what you're doing." He smiled.

Tess looked him in the eye seriously; her expression leaving very little room for debate, "I'm trying to steal your Energon signature you oblivious old robot. I want you to _mark_ me with it."

His optics opened a visible amount wider at her words, before understanding shot through him, "Oh…" his metal lips were unable to hide a touched and joyous smile as he reached a hand up over the railing and laid it flat for her, "then let me show you how to accomplish it _properly_, my naïve young human."

Once she was safely cupped in his hand, he stood to his full height and brought her close to his face; lifting his free hand to tenderly touch her hair, stroking down the entire length of her side. Then he raised her close to him and lowered his voice to a rumble as he spoke to her, "Your forehead," he murmured, "touch your forehead to the bridge of my nose. Hold it there firmly and do not move."

Tessa did as she was told, not closing her eyes as he held her there. To her surprise, he raised his free hand and cupped it over his face as he shuttered out his optics; effectively trapping her in relative darkness, which made her squeak in worry.

"It's alright…" his voice rumbled gently, echoing in the cupping of his hand as he repeated her phrase from earlier, "trust me."

There was a few seconds of complete silence before Tessa heard a strange buzzing noise; almost a crackling. Then she noticed a blue light filling the dark cavern of Optimus' palm from below her, and as she glanced down between the gap between his face and the hand she stood on she saw something extraordinary. The markings on his facial plates were glowing blue with Energon; filling them and making them crystal clear. After a few seconds the Energon began to seep out of them before casting thin, glowing blue lines up his face towards where they were joined. She gasped in surprise as a tiny electric zap shocked her forehead, but obediently she stayed put; noticing that almost immediately the blue energy began to subside and fade.

Finally, Optimus withdrew his hand and let in the light; opening his optics to look at her gently. "All done," he said softly, "you now bear my Energon signature…my _scent_ if you will."

Withdrawing her forehead from the bridge of his nose, she felt breathless from the experience; having to take a few seconds before she spoke, "…But…Sideswipe said that the signature marking is subconscious; that Cybertronians don't have to actually _do_ the marking…?"

Optimus shook his head gently in response, "While that is true for other Transformers, both Decepticon and Autobot alike, I am a _Prime_. For me to mark subconsciously would be far to random and dangerous to risk; a Prime must _choose_ who bears their Energon signature. In the Holoform it is automatic, just like any other Cybertronian; but for my true form it must be given consciously as I have just done for you."

Tess felt a little lightheaded from the magnitude of the situation, and she placed a hand on the tip of Optimus' nose for support before she planted a kiss there, "Well then…" she whispered, "I'm honoured that you chose me to bear your signature…" A chuckle beneath her caught her attention, and she realized that he had a slightly wistful tone; as if he were talking more to himself than to her.

"Oh Tessa…" he murmured in a soft, teasing voice, shuttering his optics again and nuzzling her tenderly in their close proximity, "_My_ Tessa…it was _always_ meant to be you…"

A fierce blush flared across her cheeks at the confession, rubbing her fingers affectionately on the metal of his face before she gave a soft, breathless giggle, "I love you, Chief."

"My Tessa…" he purred distractedly, clearly reeling in some kind of afterglow.

_Maybe it affects them more than it does for me_? She thought, _I am only human after all; I don't __feel__ what a Cybertronian would feel_…

"Optimus," she murmured a little more firmly than before, causing him to open his optics and look at her, "I have to finish helping Ratchet in the med bay; any chance you'll be letting me down any time soon?"

He offered her a rather s_heepish_ smile before he leaned forward, planting an awkwardly cumbersome kiss on her head before gently lowering her to the hangar floor, "You're right," he said quietly, "I should probably go back to stasis, in any case; but I am _glad_ that you woke me for this…

She pressed a hand to his cheek with a smile before she walked backwards toward the edge of the hangar; the two of them maintaining firm eye-to-optic contact until she reached the door and grinned at him embarrassedly, "Sleep well, Chief; I'll see you later."

"Most absolutely," he said gently before morphing slowly back into the Peterbilt; the noise ringing through the hangar in its familiar way. Tessa watched fondly as the truck rolled into the space it had been parked before she'd intruded and giggled to herself at the thought of what they had just accomplished.

Then she gently shut the door to the hangar behind her and left him to get some well deserved rest.


	52. Last Train

**This chapter is mostly filler with some details on Cybertronian and such thrown in to make it interesting. I hope you all enjoy it; because if you don't then Ratchet will throw a wrench at you and make you read Megatron's 5****th**** Grade spelling homework for the rest of your life.**

***le` gasp* OH NOEZ! Hahaha.**

**I mostly wanted the conversation between Ratchet, Ironhide and Tessa to emphasize the different levels of intensity involved for a Cybertronian.**

**Energon Signature/Marking: A commitment step similar to openly being in a relationship. It lets other Cybertronians know that the one bearing the scent is off the market.**

**Interfacing: Cybertronian sex. Much like humans, it can be done for fun; with no emotional attachment between the two parties. You know, how humans can sleep with someone and it doesn't mean anything? Yeah, that's possible for Cybertronians too; it's purely for fun; not 'Bonding' purposes.**

**And finally…**

**Sparkbonding: The most intimate relationship a Cybertronian can offer. I imagine it to be something like tying the souls together; they love each other eternally and the bond cannot be undone.**

**Anyhow, I'm going to go make myself some lunch, enjoy the chapter!**

"Honestly, I can't believe he _actually_ gave his Energon signature to you…it's so _unlike_ Optimus to be so open. He's a soldier; he's never let anyone that close." Ratchet pondered aloud as he worked, "When you came in, just…_covered_ in his signature; you almost gave me a damned Spark attack!"

Tessa giggled and shrugged, "Sorry, Ratch; but it serves you right for not telling me about it in the first place."

"I didn't think it was that relevant." He responded, welding precisely to Ironhide's leg where Jolt had managed with his whips; having gotten underneath the armour 'skin' to the sensitive wires underneath. He'd been limping into the medical bay and demanded Ratchet repair the 'humiliating' injury.

"How could it not be _relevant_?" Tessa squeaked, moving around the gurney and hopping up to sit cross legged beside Ironhide's head, "I had a faint signal from your leader burned into my skin, and you didn't think that maybe I'd want to know?" she couldn't help but laugh as Ratchet just gave another shrug. In any case, Ironhide was the one who responded to her; looking over at her as she sat beside his head.

"Well personally I think it's about. Fragging. _Time_!" he scoffed humorously, "The two of you have certainly taken your sweet slagging time; at least now my reason for guarding you will be valid."

"Wait…what do you mean by that?" Tess asked, turning to Ironhide and leaning casually on his forehead with her elbow; looking down into his optics as Ratchet worked. She was currently off-duty, and simply killing time before she decided to go home; after all she much preferred being her with her robots than sitting on her couch trying to find something good on television. Without moving his head at all, Ironhide's optics focused on her as she leaned against his brow.

"What I mean, is that by all aspects of the matter; I am to protect you as I would him. Even before the two of you were…_official_, it was easy to see that you were already important to him. I looked at you as a minor extension of Prime; but now, you bear his genetic signature. As a soldier to Optimus, I am required to guard you."

Tessa scoffed and poked him playfully in the forehead, "Aw, you don't have to do that you cranky old fart. It's sweet that you did; but honestly, you don't have to."

Ironhide shook his head at her before he spoke, "It doesn't matter what you-OW! Frag it, Ratchet; be _careful_!" he spat, looking down at the medic; who gave a grumbling scoff in response.

"You've suffered worse; you'll live." The cranky old medic teased gruffly, waving a mechanical hand disinterestedly at the weapons specialist. Ironhide snorted and chose to ignore her; instead continuing with his conversation with Tessa.

"_Anyway_," he said, shooting a vaguely dirty look down to Ratchet as he worked on Ironhide's leg, "it doesn't matter what you say; I will protect you."

"For Optimus, right?" she asked. He rolled his shoulders in the gesture of a shrug before he answered her quickly and with a very stern conviction.

"-Because you are my _friend_." He said firmly, reaching up to poke her playfully in the ribs; making her giggle, "But there _is_ something you should know, Tess. If, and I assume _when_ the two of you Sparkbond, I will not only be _his_ soldier…I will also be yours." Her eyes widened a little in surprise, taken aback by the seriousness in his tone. His optics were locked onto her eyes to convey the magnitude of what he said.

Tessa felt an embarrassed blush cross her features as she spoke, confused by the sincerity in Ironhide's tone, "Sp-Sparkbond? Wait…doesn't that have anything to do with what Optimus did with the signature thing? Is that kind of like Sparkbonding?"

"Not exactly," Ratchet cut in, tinkering with some of the wiring as he spoke, "what he did with the signature was purely a marking procedure. That's a relatively standard commitment step amongst Cybertronians in a significant relationship. Then there's interfacing, which your species is well acquainted with in its own right…" the two mechs earned a violent red blush from the female before Ratchet carried on; seemingly oblivious, "interfacing, just like organic human sex; is able to be done without a romantic connection; for fun, but Sparkbonding is something much more binding. One who is Sparkbound will love only that one mate; and will never feel the same for any other."

Tess tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully for a moment, "Actually, I think I remember Chief saying that once before; he was confused about what the concept of 'divorce' was. Human's often don't stay together…" she huffed and looked up at the ceiling, appearing a little forlorn with the thought. She couldn't _imagine_ not having Optimus, just having to leave the base to go home for the night was bad enough. She _liked_ being around him, she _liked_ being around the Autobots.

This in and of itself was unusual for her, because although Tessa was easily a very friendly and amicable person; she spent much of her time being solitary. Spending her life covered in car grease and thinking up engines had given her little opportunity to really spend the time needed for lifelong friendships; mechanics was a singular hobby after all. Certainly she'd had friends throughout her life; but on the general whole she was rather socially awkward and tended to relate better to machines than she did to people.

Just one more reason to love her Cybertronians.

"In any case," Ironhide said, poking her again to bring her mind back to the conversation, "When you and Prime are bound, I will be _your_ soldier as well as his."

"We all will." Ratchet added simply; closing up the panel on the stout, black mech's leg.

The little mechanic shook her head at the two of them with a laugh as she placed a hand on her forehead; rubbing her temples gently, "But you guys don't _need_ to _do_ that-!"

"-Tess," Ironhide said sharply, "it isn't a matter of _choice_. On Cybertron; being the Sparkmate of a _Prime_ is considered an honorary title. As soldiers, we are programmed to protect our leaders; and in the case of a Prime's Sparkmate, they are dire to the leader and therefore dire to us."

Ratchet continued for Ironhide, clearly they were both well aware of this protocol, "If a Prime is killed and there is no new Prime to take over the role; his Sparkmate becomes a temporary leader until the next Prime is chosen. If you two were Sparkbonded, and Optimus were to die-"

"-_Don't_," she hissed achingly, feeling the familiar grief of when he'd fought with Megatron and really _had_ died, "God, please don't…"

Ratchet paused a second before he finished his sentence, "…in a case like that, then any order of yours would be treated as his own."

She shook her head, clenching her fists in her lap, "I wouldn't _want_ that…I could never…_order_ any of you to do _anything_."

Ironhide, whom Ratchet had finished working on by now, swung his legs over the side of the berth and placed a palm on Tessa's head; his hand engulfing her as he laughed loudly. Evidently he was laughing at the irony of her phrase; and he told her so, "And yet, you seem to have no problems ordering Optimus around, hm?"

She shrugged and gave a giggle; the sound echoing under his metal hand, "Yeah, but that's different. Optimus is my bitch."  
>"Is he now?" Hide laughed.<p>

Tessa poked her head out from under his hand with a grin and looked up at him, "Yep, and he loves it." Ironhide's hand lifted itself from her head and he roared with mirthful laughter at her silly joke. He had _no_ doubt that she was more than capable of keeping the Prime in line, and no matter what she said about being unable to give any orders to them; he had no doubts that she probably could if she had to. She may have been the modest sort; but he would never expect her to back down from what was needed of her.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Tessa as she thought of Optimus; remembering his almost dazed expression after he had marked her. "Hey, guys; how does the signature transfer affect a Cybertronian? I mean…after he'd marked me, Chief seemed like he was…I don't know..._basking_ or something…"

She heard Ironhide snorted amusedly as he placed a hand on his head, "Yes," he answered, "they say it's a very relaxing state; quite pleasant apparently."

"Pleasant; pleasant how?" she questioned.

Ratchet was the one who answered; providing what sounded like a medical diagnosis, "It's supposed to be…an _afterglow_, so to speak. The equivalent of how a Cybertronian feels after an overload; it _is_ in fact, a basking sensation."

"…What's an _overload_? I don't understand what that means-"

"-It's our race's equivalent to a human orgasm. The signature marking gives the sensation of the afterglow, without the actual overload. There is no climax with a marking." Ratchet said matter-of-factly, ignoring the embarrassed, fire-engine red blush of death crawling across her face.

Tessa nearly _died_ at the thought, if Optimus had been given that 'post-overload' sensation when he'd marked her, then it was no _wonder_ he'd been so distracted; it was a feeling similar to coming down from a high. In the back of her mind, she found herself just a little bit proud that _she_ had been able to take part in providing him some sort of relief. She couldn't deny the fact that she was attracted to him; she _loved_ him, it came with the territory. But the fact that through no real participating on her part, she had been able to be the outlet to make him feel wonderful; and evidently, relaxed.

Ironhide was testing his leg now, walking in slow, tentative circles to make sure it was functioning properly before he turned to Ratchet. "What's the prognosis, Doctor." He asked mockingly.

Ratchet waved him off with an amused sigh, "You'll live; unfortunately."

Tessa found their banter hilarious, because although it was gruff and snippy, and appeared hostile from the outside; it displayed their comfortableness with each other and showed just how long they had been comrades. She scoffed at their antics and glanced up at the clock; it was already a quarter to 9 at night. The little female gave a sigh and decided it was time to go home to bed.

"Well guys, I'm going to start heading home. Thanks for all the information; I really do appreciate it." Tess said, patting each of the robots' legs as she made for the exit; her body turned towards them to face them as she moved backwards, "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Ironhide took a step forward, a startled look on his face, "Hold on, Tess wait! Optimus is right-"

_Clang_!

"…behind you."

The little mechanic had walked backward into a massive metal foot, her heel tapping gently against the metal. Pressing her back up against the leg, she tilted her head backwards and looked up at Optimus with a grin as he regarded her, "Hey there stranger," she said gently, "come to say goodnight to me?"

He gave a chuckle and bent down to be eye level with her, "I wouldn't have let you leave without doing so."

"Oh I see," she said teasingly, "gosh Chief, you're so possessive."

"For Pit sake, go _outside_ and be sappy," Ironhide scoffed sarcastically, "just don't bore _us_ with it!"

Tessa moved to place a hand on Optimus' face before looking over at Ironhide with a massive, cheeky grin, her eyes glittering with _mischief_. "What? You mean like this?" she turned her face and planted a kiss on the leader's lip; causing him to startle a little and look down at her; having been unprepared for her actions. She held her mouth to the metal for a good few seconds before she looked back at Ironhide, "He's my robot; I'll do what I want with him."

The mech roared with laughter at his leader's expense, shaking his head and looking at Optimus with an incredibly amused expression, "Sorry to say it Prime, but it sounds to me like you're just a toy to her."

Tessa responded by affectionately touching Optimus' face and sharing a fond look with him before she turned back to the weapons specialist with her hands on her hips, "What can I say 'Hide? He's just my metal Boy-Toy." She waved her hand at him with another laugh, "Anyway; I'll see you guys tomorrow," then she turned to look at her 'Boy-Toy' with a loving smile, "Let's go Chief; you can walk me to my car."

He gave a chuckle and lowered his hand to the ground and allowed her to climb onto his palm. Once she was secured, he raised her up to her now usual place on his shoulder; waiting for her to have a firm grip before he lowered his hand and walked out of the hangar.

The walk across the tarmac was fairly silent; but it was by no means uncomfortable for either of them. Tess was quite happy tucked into the groove on his shoulder, tracing insignificant patterns into the gear at the base of his finial; and he was more than content to let her. She decided not to say anything about his basking moment after the Energon marking, considering that it wold probably not only embarrass him; but that it didn't matter all that much.

She was just happy.

"…Penny for your thoughts?" she asked gently as they walked.

The moon was gleaming down on them, making Optimus' metal shine rather beautifully in her opinion. That was one of the things she loved about his appearance; he was so _shiny_. As they strolled rather leisurely across the tarmac, she heard him sigh gently.

"I have started trying to pinpoint Megatron's location. We will be using Decepticons as anchor points to try and determine if they know his whereabouts."

Suddenly she realized that the air was a little heavier now; not out of any discomfort, but because she could feel his stress now. She felt her empathy flare up as she imagined how hard it must be for him to be a part of this war; he was not the type who enjoyed war, he was a _gentle_ soul. It actually made her angry that this 'Megatron' and his obvious desire to just destroy everything was constantly keeping Optimus from being able to let his guard down; to just be _himself_. With a heavy sigh, she leaned forward a little and traced a finger along the edge of his mouth.

"Look at me, hey. Chief, _look_ at me, please." Tugged a little at him before he turned his head and cast his gaze on her; drinking in every detail of her face under the glow of Energon from his optics. She paused and bit her bottom lip softly, her thumb tapping softly against his lip before she whispered to him, "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

He paused for a moment before he exhaled deeply, the decompressed air gently brushing her face as he did so, "I appreciate the gesture Tessa, really I do; but I will not have the time tonight to be with you. Lennox, Epps and I are trying to plan a tracking tactic; I simply came to see if you were still on base so that I could say goodnight."

She smiled sadly at him; knowing that he would much rather be quietly relaxing with her than planning an attempted assault against the Decepticons. As they reached her car, he gently dropped to one knee and plucked her off his shoulder to set her down on the concrete. Gently and ever-so-carefully, he barricaded his hand around her back and slowly pressed her towards his face. Understanding, she reached up her arms and hugged his cheek to her as well as she could, given the size difference between them. She held him for a good full minute before turning her head and planting a kiss on the blue metal where the Cybertronian was scratched into it.

"Well, whatever you work out Chief, I'm right here whenever you need me. Hell, you can call me in the middle of the night just to say _hi_ if that's all you need; please, _please_ don't try and bear everything yourself." She traced his face, memorizing the planes in the metal and the scratches that grooved beneath her fingertips, she could hear the minute whirring sound as his optics slid shut at her touch.

"How did I exist without you…?" he whispered to her; his voice making her extremities tingle as it reverberated down her spine.

Tess crooked a small smile in response and closed her eyes as she cuddled him, "The same way that I existed without you," she murmured back to him, "surrounded by people we care about and building ourselves as individuals. We existed wholly before we found each other, Chief; all we're doing now is making it _better_…"

He turned his face into her softly and nuzzled at her tiny form, still bracing her with his hand against the back of her body. He made a cycled intake through his nose; clearly inhaling her scent, one that was now mixed with his own.

His Spark purred happily knowing that Tessa was _branded_ as its own; and for now, that would satiate it.

Finally he moved his hand away and allowed her to take a step back from him; still watching her with a loving expression on his facial plates. He had never, in all his existence, thought that he would have allowed himself this kind of companionship; but now that he had, he couldn't imagine being without it.

Without _her_.

Then he noticed that Tessa was stifling a yawn behind her hand; a gesture with both made him laugh, and reminded him that she needed to rest. Brushing the tip of his finger from her head and over the length of her back, he gave a rumbling chuckle; relieved to have been able to take some time from his tactical planning to be with her.

"You need sleep, Tessa…it's time for you to go home."

She gave a heavy, saddened sigh, but nodded her head, "Yeah…I know." Tess placed a hand on his chin guard and pressed her lips to his in one of their frequent, but clumsy, human-robot kisses; they may have been cumbersome, but they were her favourite kind, "Goodnight Optimus."

He bid her one last notion of affection by touching her hair again before allowing her to climb into her car and start the engine. Warning her to drive safely, to which she scoffed and told him she was a good driver, he watched her shift the pale, blue muscle car into gear and roll slowly over the tarmac towards the exit to base.

Earth nights were short…but he would still miss her, regardless.


	53. My Pleasant Torture

**Oh wow…*super blushes***

**I will admit, this chapter was a challenge to write; simply because of the sexual nature of this content. I've written a few make-out scenes and what not before, but I've never actually written something specifically **_**sexual**_** in content.**

***is still blushing***

**Anyhow; I understand if some of you are uncomfortable reading about slightly 'citrusy' content, but I assure you that I have tried to make it tasteful; given that OP and Tessa's relationship is about LOVE, not SMUT.**

**I also understand if people are uncomfortable leaving a review for this chapter; but to be honest, I would really, REALLY appreciate them, because I've never written anything like this before and there will more than likely be more of it throughout the story.**

**So I REALLY want to know whether or not I did okay.**

**Hope you enjoy xx**

Over the next few days, she didn't see very much of Optimus.

While it was true that Tess had been keeping busy with her work with Ratchet (_who had managed to give her some very good motivation for her weapon designs simply by providing her someone to bounce ideas off with_) she noticed that Optimus, Lennox, Epps; and the rest of the Autobots were constantly locking themselves away in one of the tech hangars. They were clearly trying so hard to execute their tracking plans, but from what she'd gathered; they'd had little success.

Clearly Megatron was better at hide-and-seek than she originally thought.

What bothered Tessa, was just how _exhausted_ Optimus looked right now. She'd tried to give him space; especially today given that he'd been in 'conference' with his soldiers all morning and looked to be incredibly worn. Currently she was sitting on a crate outside one of the hangars listening to them argue about what they could possibly do next. Obviously Tess didn't understand a lot of the fine details of the situation; she was only the mechanic after all, she wasn't at the centre of this war.

Tess heard an exasperated sigh come from inside the hangar before a mechanical whirring indicated one of the Autobots walking towards the exit. As she looked up from her packet of Skittles, shoving an apple flavoured one into her mouth, Optimus Prime walked past her unknowingly with his hand pressed to his forehead. Worry crossed Tessa as she realized that he was too distracted to even notice that she was sitting there, he was stressed and burdened; and she needed to _do_ something!

Jumping down from the crate and stuffing the Skittles into her pocket, she jogged to try and catch up the distance he'd already made across the tarmac.

"Optimus!" she called out to him, waving to get his attention as she approached. He stopped and turned, his face visibly softening when he realized it was Tessa who approached him. He dropped to a crouch and held out a finger to her; which she took hold of as he spoke.

"It is good to see you," he said gently, "I feel as though…I've been avoiding you the last few days. I am sorry…"

Tessa smiled up at him and brought his face close to her hand; shutting her eyes gently as she nuzzled him, "Oh Chief," she murmured, "you don't have to _apologize_ for doing your job. How've you been holding up?"

A heavy, hissing sigh escaped him as he leaned his face into her; returning her nuzzling gesture with one of his own before cupping her chin in one finger, "I…am doing what is necessary…" he said tiredly.

_Alright, that's enough_… Tess thought determinedly, _he needs some time to relax_.

"Optimus?" she asked quietly, causing him to look at her, "Let's go for a drive."

"I would, Tess…but I don't think-"

"-Chief," she snapped sternly, "you _need_ to take some time out." He voice dropped do a gentle tone and she looked up at him with a begging expression, "…_please_?"

He looked down at the little female with her hands curled around his finger, a pleading and _gorgeous_ expression glittering in her eyes. _Primus __damn__ the day they made eyes so lovely_, he thought, _I cannot say no to that expression_…

"…Very well…" he said tiredly with a chuckle, "You are such a bad _influence_ on me."

Tessa, who was now wearing a relieved expression, shot him a grin and patted him on the finger, "I'm just looking out for you Chief; God knows you won't do it on your own."

Taking a step back, she waited for him to transform into the familiar blue and red Peterbilt that she'd been missing of late. With him having been so busy and preoccupied, it had been difficult to try and spend time with the towering leader; but most of all she just wanted to help him ease his stress.

A drive was all she had to offer…

When he was in form, the door to the driver's seat popped open easily, waiting for her to climb into her seat. She tenderly ran her fingers over the leather of the seat, relishing the familiar feeling of being in the cabin; somewhere that made her feel safe and warm no matter where they went. She felt her heart swell with affection, noticing it aching at the same time; weighed down by the fact that he was so tired and never once allowed himself to _rest_.

"Any particular destination in mind?" he asked as the stereo sparked to life, his voice carrying from the speakers. In response, Tessa shook her head firmly before she answered in a level, voice full of as much authority as she could muster.

"Nope. Drive far; drive fast."

"Done."

The ease with which he accepted her order made her realize just how much he needed this time to himself; a weakness he never allowed himself to show to his soldiers. This fact alone made her feel privileged to be his confidant; even if it was only to be a silent one.

They left Diego Garcia behind them in a trail of red dust and bitumen as they drove without a word; they didn't _need_ words. They had no destination, no plan; no idea where they were headed or how long it would take to get there.

They just drove.

As ordered, Optimus was driving fast; the windows were rolled up, but the air-conditioning was on to keep Tessa cool; the truck's cabin was quiet aside from gentle music that played in the background. With a sigh, she leaned her head against the back of the seat and let her fingers splay gently across the leather.

"Anything you want to get off your chest…?" she asked gently; her voice a gentle murmur in the peace, "…I'm listening; you know I am."

The radio shorted for a moment to allow Optimus to speak over the top of the music, "It isn't anything that can be told and understood, Tessa. I will not drag you any further into this war than you already are…Just _being_ as we are, is enough contentment for me."

She felt her heart ache at his words; feeling saddened, if not a little hurt that he wasn't prepared to share his thoughts with her. But she understood; there were aspects of what he did that she just wouldn't _get_, despite how much she wanted to help. It frustrated her that she couldn't do anything other than sit there and wait for him to open up to her; she could just _feel_ the coil of stress that surrounded him, the exhaustion…

"I know that, Chief, but…" she sighed heavily and gently traced her fingertips against the upholstery, "…I just wish there was something I could _do_ to help you unwind…"

There was a brief silence before he answered her gently, "What you're doing now is just fine…" his voice was relaxed, but there was a stressed tone underlying his tone; like a string that was being pulled taut through his vocal chords while he tried to stay level. As the radio resumed its gentle music; Tessa pondered on his words, her attention now drawn to her fingers as she administered affection to him. Thinking to herself as she tried to come up with something, _anything_ to make him really relax, she flexed her fingers; causing her nails to scrape slowly and softly against the leather.

She could have sworn she felt the cabin of the truck tremble a little.

Curious to see the reaction, she did the same thing again, only this time it was slower; and much tenderer. The cabin didn't tremble this time, but the radio dimmed as Optimus spoke, "That…Tessa that is wonderfully calming…"

His voice sounded a little more soft now, reminding her a little of the moment after he had 'marked' her. When he had been in his afterglow state of bliss and had nuzzled her as he purred her name. So much less tense than he was at the moment…

That was when it hit her like a tonne of bricks; the afterglow!

_Maybe I __can__ try to relax him_… she thought, _I can provide him with that again_… Feeling a slight blush creep into her face at the idea of what she was about to attempt; but considering they were currently driving through deserts that greatly resembled those of Arizona, she decided she didn't _care_ that it was embarrassing to her. This was for _Optimus_.

"Chief, pull over…please."

"Is something the matter?"

She shook her head, "No, I just…want to show you something…"

Confused by her request, but not seeing the harm in complying; he pulled onto the gravelly shoulder of the abandoned road and stayed there for a few seconds, waiting for her to explain. When she didn't, he decided to enquire instead, "Tess?" he began, almost worriedly.

She took a deep breath and placed a hand on the dashboard; her heart fluttering with nerves and embarrassment as she plucked up her courage for what she was about to attempt. "Optimus, I'm going to help you get rid of your stress…I _want_ to make you feel better…" she murmured gently moving her right hand towards the centre console.

"…I'm not sure I understa-_and_!" the radio stuttered sharply and he in took a sharp breath as his sentence was interrupted midway. Tessa had tentatively touched her thumb to the top of the gearstick; her face blazing, but her expression languid and gentle. "T-Tessa! What are you _doing_?"

"It's okay, Chief…All you need to do is relax; this is going to help…" She traced her left finger softly over the dashboard; occasionally dipping her fingers into the grooves of the plastic gently. Her right hand gently followed the numbers grooved into the head of the stick shift; causing the radio to hitch again.

The sensations she was providing were both incredible and confusing; he wasn't sure exactly what she was trying to accomplish with this; but he couldn't let her continue to do it. But by _Primus_ he'd never experienced anything like this.

"You…Tessa you-" he cut off with a startled choke before he tried to continue, "You do not _need_ to-to _do_ something like this."

"I don't need to; I _want_ to. When was the last time that you just…_stopped_ being a leader and let yourself _feel_?"

It was so hard to concentrate with her lithe fingers tracing gently over the shift, the touches soft and light; teasing. "I am Prime…" he breathed, admirably managing to retain his composure, "I do not have such…_ngh_…such selfish luxuries; my soldiers mu-must come first-"

"Well, not this time they don't…" she said gently, "Right now, it's just you and me. _This time_, you're going to allow yourself a little selfishness; for _once_ in your life."

In vain; he tried to protest again, despite the _chills_ that were reverberating through his form as she ran her left hand on the underside of the dash board, "I cannot!" he argued weakly, "We are in the middle of a war that-"

"Optimus Prime!" Tessa snapped harshly at him; feeling so _hurt_ for him, that he didn't feel that he was worthy of his own selfish happiness, "I am not letting you drive away from here, until you _overload_; you got it? The only time I want to hear your voice from that radio, is if you're planning on telling me where you want me to touch. Stop _thinking_!" taking a deep breath she lowered her voice to a gentle murmur, "Don't think; just _feel_…"

"…Tess…I just…I-_Oh sweet Primus_…" his voice dropped instantaneously to a breathy gasp as she moved her fingers from the numbers of the stick shift and twined them around the metal of the stick; sliding her deft hand down to the base of it.

His self-control was shot; he couldn't stay coherent through something like that.

"That's it, Chief…" she said gently; stubbornly ignoring her own furiously burning cheeks as she administered affection to him. At 25 (_borderline 26_) years of age, Tessa was not a virgin; but that didn't mean that she was promiscuous. She'd only had a very select few sexual partners throughout her lifetime, and even in those cases she'd been the discreet sort; taking charge like this with Optimus was _so_ far out of her element. But she knew that he needed this; and she wanted so badly to _help_ him.

Not to say that she disliked the idea of being able to arouse him like this; to introduce him to the far more intense side of her race's nature, something that she could _teach_ him. With a loving smile, her affections were administer; and some of the sounds he made only proved that he was trying to restrain himself. As she gently slid her fingers up the shaft of the gear rod, she heard him attempt to stifle a moan; but his restraint was faltering.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn without removing her hand from the shift.

The Holoform sat beside her in the passenger seat; facing her direction with his hand on her shoulder; his blue black hair covering his eyes as he breathed heavily. Clearly the Holoform they produced was a direct representation of their true form; because this time he appeared dishevelled and the hand that was on her shoulder clutched the fabric of her shirt into a fist. Lifting his head, he looked at her as she regarded him in unusual calmness; she clearly had much more composure than he did.

"T-Tessa…" the Holoform panted, his glowing, ice blue eyes burning into her with incredible heat and intensity as his hand moved from her shoulder to cradle her neck, "…please I-let me replicate the gesture. You can't-you mustn't allow me such…_ngh_…" he had to stop and brace himself against the dashboard as she slid a single finger up the length of the gearstick; clearly ignoring the Holoform's predicament, "…such s_elfishness_. Please…Let me do the same for _you_…"

Gripping her neck tightly he crashed his lips down onto the base of her neck; tracing the junction of her throat with his tongue and dropping a hand to her waist to grip the fabric there. It was clear that he was trying to find ground as she kept him reeling in the sensations. As his searing hot kiss moved to her jawline, the Holoform's hand at her side used a thumb to trace the bottom of her ribs; and Tessa felt her own breath hitch.

Then she crossed her left arm over her chest and braced it on his Holoform's own before pushing him back away from her.

"Tessa…?" he asked confusedly, nearly panting for breath between bracing himself against the sensation she was racking through his body, "Wh…What's wrong..?"

She squeezed the gears and ran her nails teasingly along the base of the leather seat; watching with mild interest as he was forced to toss his head back against the seat, his fists clutching to the leather like a lifeline. Then she answered him.

"Dismiss the Holoform," she ordered, looking into the rear-view mirror at the _real_ Optimus, "this isn't about reciprocation. This isn't about me, Optimus; it's for _you_. Get _rid_ of that Holoform, now."

A hitched moan was heard from the speakers as the human illusion disappeared in a flurry of electrical pulses and Tessa continued to lavish her attentions on the truck. She could clearly hear his voice through the radio now; clearly he hadn't much control on it at present.

"Oh _Primus_…Tessa…p…_please_…" he murmured breathlessly, "Please don't…"  
>"Chief, if you're still trying to fight thi-"<p>

"-No, no, Tess _please_," ecstasy had begun to lace itself into the back of his voice; she could _hear_ it, "Primus, Tessa…please don't _stop_...I…It's-_ngh_…it's so…close…"

She felt relief flood through her upon realizing that he was not trying to fight her anymore; he was _feeling _what she wanted him to feel. "That's it, Chief…" she murmured softly; trailing her nails at the leather hold on the bottom of the gears before she slipped her hand up over the rod, "…just let it go for me."

In an instant, the windows of the truck rattled and the cabin shook slightly; an erotic growl violently ripping its way through the speakers as he finally lost his battle of restraint; the overload rocking his entire form as he did so. He saw stars, Pit he could've seen _Primus_ himself with the power of that release. Never in his life had he experienced something like _this_.

They were both silent for a few moments as Optimus recovered from the overload; his heavy breaths filling the silence. His entire form tingled with pleasant pulses of electricity; trying to wrap his head around a coherent thought as he basked in his ecstasy. Finally, Tessa traced her fingers along the leather of his seat; the touch innocent and reassuring.

"When you're ready…" she whispered gently, "we should probably head back to base."

A heavy, contented sigh sounded through the truck's cabin as he made a soft sound of confirmation before the engine restarted and the vehicle slowly pulled onto the road. The pace of the drive this time was slower, much more relaxed; and Tessa smiled to herself knowing that their little romp was the reason.

"We…should not have done that…" he murmured finally, turning off the highway.

Tess gave an amused scoff, "Why not? You feel better, don't you?"

Optimus was silent for a moment, clearly pondering his own thoughts in answer to her semi-question before actually responding to her quietly, "Yes…but at _your_ expense…I wish you had allowed me to reciprocate the feeling for you, rather than permitted me to indulge so _selfishly_."

"Chief," she murmured softly, "It wasn't any _expense_ to do that for you. You were stressed, exhausted and worrying about so many things… I _love_ you, Optimus; and I _wanted_ to make you feel better."

"…_Regardless_ of your reasons, I promise you that one day I _will_ return the gesture to you…"

Tessa smirked at him in the rear-view as they drove, quirking an eyebrow at him cheekily, "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"It's a _promise_."

"_Is_ it now? …Sounds interesting."

There was a moment of still silence before Tessa started to giggle, causing Optimus to join in on her laughter. The atmosphere in the cabin was relaxed, at ease…_gentle_ in a way. He'd have never thought that an _overload_ of all things could have made such a difference in his mood; it had released all the tension in his body and his mind felt so much more _content_ now. Perhaps Tessa's judgement about moments of mildly indulgent selfishness was not as unreasonable as he had originally believed. With a contented sigh, he focused on the mechanic in his rear-view mirror and addressed her from the comfortable silence.

"Tessa…" he murmured, "thank you."

The female in question gave a smile and traced a hand over the Autobot emblem in the centre of the steering wheel; running her fingers comfortingly around the wheel as she exhaled gently. Sheer pride and love where evident in her voice.

"You're welcome, Chief."


	54. Closer To You

**Basically a filler chapter this time.**

**Tess openly discusses the growing situation between her and Optimus to quell both his embarrassment and his uncertainty. The two of them are just so adorable to write together. Hope everyone enjoys it.**

**P.S. To my reviewers; I love you guys SO much! Even if I don't often manage to write a response, I assure you that most of the time when you want to know something specific I try to reply with what I can. **

**You guys are so awesome; you're what makes this story **_**possible**_**!**

***infinite love and hugs***

Tess and Optimus had arrived back on base hoping to slip in unnoticed.

The little female, sitting comfortably in the driver's seat with her head leaning on the rest and her arm dangling out the open window, was unable to stop herself from smiling a little as Optimus pulled through the checkpoint barrier. Her stomach was fluttering with embarrassment at the thought of what they had just done, but her heart was content; it was nothing to be _ashamed_ of, and she wasn't _going_ to be.

Still, she felt a little like a teenager who had snuck out of the house and was trying to sneak back in.

"This is going to be…interesting…" the radio said suddenly, Optimus' voice sounding much more relaxed than he had when they left.

Tessa lifted her head a little, quirking an eyebrow in response, "Huh? How come?"

There was a hissing sigh that came from the air-conditioning vents at the sides of the cabin before she heard his reply; his voice actually sounding a little _amused_, "Ratchet is a medic. He will know…he'll…be able to tell what…what we did."

She scoffed back a laugh and gently ran her fingers over the leather of the seat contentedly, "So let him see," she said simply; almost matter-of-factly, "I'm not ashamed of it; and neither should you be."

"…I could never be ashamed of anything I do with you."

She smiled at him and patted the steering wheel, "Good. Then to hell with what Ratchet thinks or says," she smirked at him in the rear-view mirror; knowing that he was watching her, "he's probably just jealous."

It was easy to tell by her tone that she was joking. She knew Ratchet would never disapprove of their relationship; mostly because everybody knew that Optimus and Tess were not about to let anyone's opinion stand in their way.

They made each other happy; and that was enough.

As they pulled up outside the hangar that the Autobots had been using as a briefing room previously that day, Tessa patted the dashboard fondly before climbing out; allowing Optimus to transform back into a bipedal robot. She stood with a hand over her eyes and grinned up at the massive leader, somehow not feeling at all insignificant next to him; Optimus had never done so to her. Fondly, she touched his leg and pressed her face against the cold metal before she heard the gears in his knees whirring as he lowered himself to her; his expression serious.

"Tessa…" he murmured gently, his optics not quite meeting her eyes, "…about what happened…what…what we just _did_…"

He trailed off and she noticed that he was keeping his gaze from directly connecting to hers; his optics moving around in an attempt to find something, _anything_, to focus on besides her. She knew from her own personal experience _exactly_ why he was acting the way he currently was.

Optimus was embarrassed.

With a gentle smile, trying to ignore her own blush; she reached over and pressed a hand to his nose, "Chief," she whispered, "look at me. Look me in the eye, please."

She guided his head to turn to her and kept her gaze firm with his; looking at him seriously as he murmured to her.

"What we…I mean-what _I_ did…" he started, unable to finish when Tess cut him off with her hand on his lip; her expression not losing its intensity.

"Optimus, don't think so much. What happened was not selfish or wrong, in _any_ way; do you understand me?" she asked, tracing a hand gently along his cheek underneath his optic, "We love each other; this is _normal_."

She noticed his shoulders visibly soften, as though a tense coil was finally releasing itself from his stance. With a soft sigh, he lifted a hand affectionately to her face and traced a finger tenderly over her hair; an infinitely fond look gracing his features.

"I _do_ love you, Tessa…more than I have any other in my entire being. I hope you understand that. This is just…_new_ to me; I find it somewhat uncomfortable…"

She gave an embarrassed giggle, placing her face in her palm for a moment before looking at him, "Yeah, well don't think that _I'm_ all that insanely bold either," she laughed, "this is one of the first relationships where _I've_ been the more experienced one…But trust me Chief; you and I don't have to be embarrassed about things like this. We're just...doing what couples _do_."

He smiled at her, noticing her red tinged cheek; which in turn made him feel a little better about being modest it himself. Even though it was normal, there was clearly the same intimate taboo amongst humans about this as there had been on Cybertron. Interfacing had always been a personal subject on his home planet; not something that you blatantly discussed in average conversation and it was relieving to know that it was one more thing about their cultures that was similar.

"You have had experience with this?" he asked curiously, having never heard her openly confess as much.

He noticed the girl in front of him shuffle on her feet a little; this time _she_ was the one avoiding eye contact, and he found it incredibly endearing. It was interesting to watch their sudden role shift.

"Well…I don't have _a lot_…" she said nervously, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly before finally looking him in the eye, "I've had a couple of boyfriends, and only a _small_ handful of them were serious enough for it to get…to _that_ level. I was never really…the _experienced_ one in the relationships, but I'll admit; I do actually enjoy teaching _you_. It's…nice."

He gave a teasing chuckle before he leaned forward and nuzzled his mouth against her hair; the laugh rumbling its way down her spine as he spoke, "Is that so…? If we are being entirely honest, I will confess that I _enjoy_ your lessons…"

She was unable to stifle a giggle as she felt his lips press against her clumsily to plant a kiss onto her hair; his hand lightly curling around her form in the gesture of a cuddle. A comfortable understanding settled between the two of them at the end of the conversation. It was a silent acknowledgement, an acceptance that the past was passed; and as such it was irrelevant to their _futures_. The little mechanic traced her hands ticklishly over his face with another laugh before they heard a disruptive 'cough' from behind them.

Ratchet stood at the door, a wrench in his hand as he regarded them; a knowing and mockingly exasperated expression written on his face. He threw a hand up into the air with a scoff before he addressed the two, "I swear to Primus…" he groaned, "The two of you have gotten increasingly worse since that birthday party of Tessa's father…I mean _really_; taking off to go interfacing-?"

"-Hey!" Tess cut in quickly; trying to ignore her insanely deepening blush as she pointed jokingly at him, "What we do in private is _none_ of your business!" her voice raised to a slight squeak, which made the medic laugh amusedly; raising his hands in surrender.

"I don't care what you two get up to in private; I don't want to know. Just be sure to _keep_ it private, alright?"

Tessa gave him mocking salute and grinned up at him cheekily, "Sir yes sir, Doc!" she teased, dropping the salute and looking up at Optimus, "_Anyway_…Chief, you want to walk me to my workshop?"

He looked at his medic, who shrugged disinterestedly and walked away, before he smiled at her and offered her his hand; a common and familiar gesture between them now. She clambered easily into his palm, her legs dangling lazily over the side as she looked up at him. Optimus seemed to be mulling over something, because he was contemplatively quiet as they walked across the tarmac.

"Ratchet just made me realize something; when he mentioned your father…" he said calmly, after a few seconds silence, "…Don't humans age once every year; as he did for his celebration?"

She gave him a confused, curious look as she nodded and replied to him, "Yeah, what about it? Something on your mind?"

"I have known you for little over a year now," he started steadily, "and I have not heard you mention the anniversary of your _own_ birth."

"_Oh_…you mean…_my_ birthday?"

"Yes; when is it?"

Tessa gave a small, nonchalant shrug, "Well, I had a birthday about a week or so before I found out about you guys being robots…because I was still new at N.E.S.T at the time, I didn't really feel the need to actually _tell_ anyone about it. I wasn't really _friends_ with anyone on base back then."

Optimus lifted her to his face as they approached the workshop hangar where she was due to later spend the rest of the day doing a complete diagnostic on Arcee's systems. He appeared curious, genuine and completely _adorable_ as he questioned her again.

"So…if my calculation is correct; you will be having another…_birthday_, quite soon I am guessing?"

She looked up at him, quite surprised by the question. She hadn't really thought about it; mostly because of her persistent habit of not wanting to be the centre of attention. In response, she shrugged and gave a smile, patting the palm of his hand gently.

"It's three weeks away; I'll be 26."

To her surprise, he gave a chuckle and raised her to his face with a mockingly serious expression; it was easy to see that he was playful in his gestures. "You are so young, Tessa…" he said teasingly, cradling her to his face and shuttering his optics closed, "Far too young for an old mech like me."

Giggling against his face, she poked the metal of his nose before planting a kiss to the same spot; speaking against his metal skin, "What can I say, big guy? I must have a thing for older men."

The two of them shared a laugh before he gently withdrew from her and looked her in the eye, "Will you be holding a celebration like your father's?" he asked curiously, tenderly stroking her hair with one finger. He had to admit; he had something of a fascination with the long brunette tresses on her head; Cybertronians did not _have_ hair. The silky texture of the strands was pleasant to touch, and given that she seemed to enjoy the contact from it; he had no intention of ceasing the habit whatsoever.

Tessa gave another shrug before touching her hand over his finger and smiling up at him, "Not really; I don't like having a massive fuss made over me…"

"Even so…" he fidgeted a little as he paused and traced her hair again fondly, "…would you allow me to celebrate it with you? It is something I would like to participate in."

Placing a finger on her chin, she mentally ran through her birthday plans, "Well, my actual _birthday_ falls on a Thursday; I'm just having my family over for lunch on the Saturday…" she trailed off for a moment before she looked up at him with a gentle smile, "But if you like, we can do something in the evening after everyone's left? I have movies and some good board games I could teach you; oh, or I could show you how to play video games?"

He gave an endearing chuckle as he crouched down and lowered his hand to the ground, "I would like that. Regardless of what ritual you choose as celebration, I will confess I just wish to spend the time with you."

She hopped down from his hand and smiled up at him; reaching her hand up gently to trace the Cybertronian markings on his facial guards. Her expression was one of slightly embarrassed amusement, still not entirely comfortable with the conversation being about her birthday celebration. She was over the hill and on her way to 30; and it made her feel _old_. But despite her personal discomfort at the realization, she didn't mind so much that Optimus was enquiring about her birthday.

She just wanted to spend her time with him.

"Then it's settled; Saturday night at my house. Well, anyway Chief; I need to get back to work. I'll talk to you later, just…" she paused and trailed off a little bit before nodding to herself and continuing, "Just make sure you don't let yourself get too stressed out; otherwise I'll just make you take another drive. Got it?"

To her surprise, and incredible amusement, he lifted his right hand up and placed two fingers against the blue helm where his forehead would be and saluted her with a serious expression. Then he lowered them and gave her a smile, "By your orders, my lady."

"Oh stop it you smart-ass," she laughed, "don't think that just because your 30 feet tall, I won't kick you in the face."

Still crouching before her, he laughed heartily; a sound that warmed her heart to hear, considering how stressed he had been before they left. He placed a finger under her chin before he leaned in and planted a kiss on her forehead; the metal plating cold against her skin. He spoke gently, the air from his compressor valve brushing against her hair and ruffling it softly.

"Thank you…for what you did, Tessa." Optimus murmured against her, "I will see you later on; but you are right. You had best return to your duties; as should I."

"Aww," she pouted jokingly; stroking her fingers down his face gently, "it's okay Chief; the day will be done before you know it."

With a chuckle, he removed his finger from under her jaw and slowly stood; the gears and wires shifting and hissing as he stretched to his full height. It still astounded her at how majestically _magnificent_ he was; and the fact that she'd had the honour of becoming involved in his plight, however indirectly it may have been to start off with. He was so _important_ to her now, and if she were forced to walk away from him, from _any_ of them; it would not be done so willingly.

She adored them all so _much_.

"…I guess I'll see you soon then," she called up to him, backing up towards her workshop while still maintaining eye contact with the towering giant before she yelled out; completely childishly and unashamedly, "I love you."

She heard a chuckle reverberate through him as he shook his head at her playful and relatively immature antics; finding her _incredibly_ endearing in her honesty. He looked down at her with an affectionate expression and responded to her; although _he_ had no need to raise his vocal level to make himself heard to the little human. His audio processors simply amplified the volume a little, not the actual _tone_ of his voice.

"As I love you, Tessa." He smiled down at her, "I will come and find you."

"You promise?" she grinned.

"I swear."

As a playful, teasing air built gently up around the both of them, they parted ways so that they could return to their respective jobs; both of them looking forward to the end of the day when they could see one another again.


	55. Dirty Little Thing

**Long chapter is long….**

***super, MEGA, EPIC blush***

**Review, review, review; PLEASE guys…I was so NERVOUS about this chapter, and I haven't proof read it for fear of totally embarrassing myself all over again; so ignore the grammar errors. **

**Just inform me of your opinions to the CONTENT!**

**I will try to start writing the next chapter very soon, but for now; I really have to go to sleep because I have work early in the morning...**

Lunch with her family had certainly proved to be _interesting_, to say the least.

On her actual birthday on the Thursday (_which she had taken the liberty of booking off, more for her own sanity than anything else_) she had received several phone calls first thing in the morning. She'd then taken off to the at the mall, buying paper plates and plastic cups in preparation for the lunch on Saturday before coming home and spending the day playing Grand Theft Auto IV on her PlayStation.

She was currently standing in her dining room having one last conversation with Riley before he and his family were planning to leave. They were the last ones still at Tessa's house and, seeing as it was almost dinner time, they were just heading off so that they could give Lucy her supper and take her home to sleep. The main topic at lunch had, of course, been Tessa and Optimus' relationship; however it was kept relatively tame for her niece's sake.

The mechanic had cooked a relatively simple mean for everyone which consisted of grilled chicken, cold cuts and a cheese platter; also plenty of finger foods and party pies for Lucy; speaking of whom was kneeling on Tessa's couch with her arms draped over the back. She was watching the adults talk; finding the conversation quite boring to listen to.

Grown-ups were _silly_…they never talked about anything _fun_.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Lucy squeaked excitedly, jumping off the couch with gusto.

"Octopus is here!" she cried happily, "I'll get it!"

With a snort at the nickname Lucy had decided to give the Autobot, Tessa shook her head with a smile and followed; Riley walking beside her with a calm expression. Emma called to her daughter from the dining room; she was bottle-feeding Thomas.

"Make sure you call Optimus by his _proper_ name Lucy!" she called scoldingly down the hallway, "Grown-ups might not like nicknames!"

Cupping her hand over her mouth, Tess called back down the hallway with an amused tone, "She's fine, Em; he won't mind."

As the mechanic approached the foyer, she saw Lucy unlocking the door and watching it swing open. Optimus' Holoform stood on the porch with his hands clasped dutifully behind his back; an expectant and innocent look on his face as the door opened noisily and he looked down as the small child.

"_Optimus_!" she squealed happily; skipping forward to wrap her arms around his legs with a giggle, "Aunt Tessie said you were gonna come and say happy birthday to her! I wanted to wait for you so I could s_ee_ you!"

It had seemed that at Phillip Jackson's birthday party, Lucy had taken quite a shine to the Prime. They had been on the same team in each of the War Games that they had competed in; and each time, he had been sure to stop _any_ of the projectile water balloons or guns from getting to her. The child had a natural intuition that he was _good_ and she liked the way he would ask her questions, and she would get to teach him stuff. He wasn't a _boring_ grown-up like her Mommy or Daddy; he was a silly grown-up who didn't know things.

Optimus, who had removed his arms from behind his back, stood uncertainly as he waited for the child to unlatch herself from his legs. He had a slight smile on his face as he regarded her; lowering himself to one knee as she released him.

"It is good to see you, Lieutenant Lucy," he said gently, using the title he had given her at the party during their 'battle' with the water gear. To his pride and relief, Lucy grinned at him beamingly; obviously excited that he remembered her name. Her childish simplicity astounded him; she was so trusting and eager to please that even the smallest gesture of recognition or affection from him sent her off into a grinning, playfully excitable mess!

"Evening, Optimus." Riley said with a friendly smile, placing a hand on his daughter's head and ruffling her hair playfully; making the child squeal in delight, "Don't mind us, we were just on our way out; Lucy just wanted to see you before we left."

Optimus looked down at the little girl with an endearing expression as she beamed at him, "That was kind of you Lucy, I am honoured that you chose to wait for me."

The little girl suddenly gave a giggle, her hand cupped over her mouth; this made Optimus cock his head like a curious puppy and look at her confusedly before she spoke, "Octopus, you _talk_ silly! It's _funny_!"

"_Lucy_!" came Emma's scolding voice. The little girl in question squeaked in surprise and clutched Optimus' hand; hiding behind his leg as her mother stood in the doorway with Thomas cradled in her arms. She looked at the military commander with a smile, "Hello, Commander," she said kindly, then turning her address back to the little girl, "Lucy, I _told_ you to call Optimus by his _name_. Some people don't like being called names like 'Octopus' remember?"

The Prime felt the grip on his pant leg tighten as Lucy huddled behind him; obviously trying to avoid getting into more trouble. She looked up at him with wide eyes and gripped him tightly, "Sorry Optimus…" she mumbled dejectedly.

Oh he couldn't _stand_ it! The wide-eyed, kicked puppy expression and the way she stuck out her bottom lip in a defeated pout had him wrapped around her little finger; he couldn't stand the sight of the child looking so forlorn.

"It's quite alright, truly," he placed a gentle hand on Lucy's head and looked up at Emma with a smile, "I am not bothered by the name at all."

Tessa's sister-in-law gave a smile and sighed at her impulsive daughter's antics before she looked down to Lucy. "Alright, sweetheart; you've seen Optimus, now it's time to go. We still have to go and pick up some dinner, and then it's bedtime for you."

"But _Mommy_-"

"-Lucy, do as Mommy says," Riley rebutted firmly, "We'll get something nice for dinner, now say goodbye, please."

With a heavy and _completely_ overly theatrical sigh, Lucy tugged on the leg of Optimus' pants and looked up at him, "Bye, Octopus," she said, hugging him tightly, "have fun, Aunt Tessie said she has video games for you guys to play!"

He gave a chuckle and put a palm briefly on her head; the way Ironhide tended to do for Tessa. Speaking of whom, Lucy then went and flung her arms around the mechanic's neck and gave her a cuddle before all of the goodbyes were exchanged and Riley's family left for the evening. When they were gone, Tess moved forward a step and slipped a hand up onto his chest; a demure smile on her face as she held the shirt between her fingers, "Hey there, handsome…" she murmured gently.

Now that they were alone, she was finally able to take in the Holoform's attire in a little more detail. It was the same attire that she had first seen him wear, the metallic, gunmetal grey pants, the black undershirt and his dark blue jacket decorated with flames along the sleeves and hem. However before she could assess her appreciation of the attire, she was pulled forward as he twined an arm around the small of her back; crushing her into a tight, affectionate hug.

"How was your time with your family?" he asked gently as he held her; glad to just have her close to him.

"Great," she said honestly, inhaling his scent as she squeezed him. He smelled different this time...there was something…_else_ mixed in with his usual mixture of metal and masculinity, but…it _couldn't_ be…? "Optimus," she murmured, "are you…wearing _cologne_?"

She felt him shift a little as he pulled back a little; his expression one of someone caught doing something wrong, and he appeared a little embarrassed, "I found some information on the internet saying that it was considered complimenting for a male to add fragrance in the presence of a female…particularly for special occasions…" he moved to look at his alt mode, which was currently parked in the driveway on the fence side, "I…had Lennox leave some in the glove compartment of the truck. I…was it the wrong thing to do? Would you like me to remove it-?"

He was cut off with her thumb on his lips as she giggled at him, "No, no Chief! Not at all; it smells…_wonderful_! It's just…incredibly sweet that you would go to the trouble."

Smiling as his shoulders relaxed a little, she leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his lips before she took his hand and led him to the door, "Come on inside, Optimus. I've got a whole bunch of awesome things that we can do."

Walking beside him, she pressed her nose to his shoulder and inhaled appreciatively with a giggle.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Within the span of the next few hours, they watched three episodes of Knight Rider (_namely the episode with KARR so that she could show Optimus how alike they sounded_) Shrek, and a rented copy of The Fast and The Furious; during which Tessa had helped herself to some leftovers from lunch and reheated them. She'd sat happily munching away at her meal as Optimus watched the movie in fascination; unable to believe the skill of the drivers in the film.

After she'd finished eating; she'd challenged him to beat her at PlayStation. It had taken him a little while to learn the controls, but once he had; she'd discovered that it was a deadly mistake. He had _wiped the floor_ with her at Tekken 6; given that with his computer-like mind, he was able to remember every single combo, whereas Tessa was a button masher. However she'd managed to _very nicely_ defeat him at Gran Turismo 5 repeatedly; mostly because he was used to driving as a _real_ vehicle, not a digital picture.

But it was after she'd been totally _annihilated_ at Resident Evil that she decided to take the opportunity to go and shower and change for the night. She'd discovered that when he was not around his soldiers, and had nobody to put on a farce for; he was surprisingly _competitive_! He'd been thoroughly pleased every time he'd managed to shoot her character or steal her points, or defeat her in Tekken; and although she didn't like that she was losing, she found it incredibly _relieving_ that he was able to unwind himself a little.

Clearly he had needed the quiet time as much as she had wanted it.

After she had brushed her teeth, showered, washed her hair and slunk off the her room in a towel (_during which time Optimus had very politely looked away and informed her that he wasn't watching_) she was standing in front of her chest of drawers dressed in a pair of plain, black cotton briefs and a grey sports bra that she used for sleeping in. Normally at night she would wear long pyjama pants and a baggy top of her father's or one of her brothers' but it was warm at night now; given that they were now in the middle of summer.

As a result, she decided on a pair of cotton fabric boxer shorts and a plain wife beater; leaving her damp curls falling against her skin to cool her down further. Looking in the full length mirror behind her bedroom door, she found herself actually _nervous_ for some reason. She didn't want to admit it, but she wanted to look _nice_ for Optimus; and that was coming from a girl who didn't like to expose too much skin or change anything about herself for a _guy_.

But with him, it was different…

She knew that he would never try to take advantage of her or tease her about the way that she looked in something (_she'd had one boyfriend who did that; needless to say, she hadn't kept __him__ around very long_) and because of that very reason, she had actually found herself _wanting_ to impress him. Talk about reverse psychology…

With a relaxed sigh, she opened her bedroom door and sauntered barefoot down the hallway towards her living room. Optimus was seated comfortably on the couch, watching something on the Discovery Channel with great interest; something about volcanoes and hurricanes which clearly fascinated him.

Not wanting to disturb him from watching, she stood behind the couch and gently placed her fingers on his forehead, along his hairline and dragged her nails back through his hair. She had meant for the gesture to be ignored; something just done in the background as he relaxed, but to her surprise he allowed his head to follow the path of her fingers and leaned onto the back of the couch. His eyes were closed lightly and she could see his Adam's apple move a little as he swallowed thickly.  
>"Mmm…" he murmured softly, "That…Primus, how are you <em>doing<em> that?"

She knew that he was, in fact, referring to the sensations that her actions were causing; and luckily she knew the answer to it.

"Pressure points," she said softly; watching as his lips parted a little in bliss, "really useful for eliminating stress when you control them the right way; it's even possible to block brain signals if you do it right. But this style is supposed to be therapeutic."

"How do you know of that?" he asked, opening his eyes a little to look at her upside down.

Tessa shrugged in response, trailing her nails around his ears and using the pads of her fingers to massage the pressure points on the back of his neck; earning a stifled groan from the Holoform, "My Mom," she said with a reminiscent smile, "she's a massage therapist; or at least she _used_ to be when I was a kid. She used to teach me this stuff; but honestly, I'm surprised that the Holoform has the same reactions that a human body would."

Optimus slid his eyes shut again as she traced her fingers a little further down; slipping them under the collar at the back of the jacket and earning a subtle shiver from him. "The Holoform feels…everything that a human would. The only difference is that it has a Spark instead of a heart, and Energon in place of blood."

At his relatively innocent words, Tessa felt herself blush from a rather…_not_-so-innocent thought. "It feels…_everything_ the way a human does?"

"…Yes…" he said quietly, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed the gentle, soothing touches on the back of his head. As she heard his response, she cautiously and curiously bent her head down over his shoulder and pushed the collar of his black shirt down slowly with her left hand. His eyes opened in a surprised and startled manner as he looked at her, "Tess? What are you doing?"

She swallowed nervously, feeling a little bit too _seductive_ as she whispered back to him, "Making you _feel_…"

Then she softly planted an open-mouthed kiss where the collar of his shirt had previously sat; earning a surprised gasp from him as she slid her tongue gently across the skin there. Before he could object to her actions, she trailed her kisses up his neck and tilted his head with the hand in his hair so that he faced sideways before crashing her mouth down onto his. He made a muffled noise of surprise, but it quickly died down as she traced her tongue along his lip and her left hand traced patterns in the fabric on his chest.

Against his own conscious will, his left hand brought itself up over the back of the couch and gripped itself upside-down into her long, damp hair needily; the Holoform's Spark humming an octave higher at their current actions.

"Tessa…" he breathed, his words muffled against her mouth as he continued to kiss her between speaking; feeling as though he were _unable_ to separate their lips for any given amount of time, "What is-_mph_!" she cut him off briefly to kiss him again; her tongue tracing the side of his mouth before he reluctantly pulled away a few centimetres to continue, "What…is this? What are you…doing…?"

As if someone had dunked a bucket of ice water on her head, she shot upright and backed up a few steps, her hand over her mouth in shock. Her face was blazing red as she backed up, appearing somewhat distressed at the realization. Optimus got up from the couch; watching her with concern

"I-I'm sorry, Chief! I'm so _sorry_! I-I didn't mean…I'm sorry that I-I…" she placed her hands either side of her face before covering her face with them, stifling and embarrassed noise and dashing into the kitchen.

"Tess, _wait_!" he called worriedly, following her with heavy steps.

He found her in the kitchen in the dark, leaning her abdomen against the countertop; her hands gripping it tensely as she heard him approach. "I…I'm sorry, Optimus…" she whispered breathlessly, "I shouldn't have just…I mean-I should've _asked_ you first."

"…Asked me? Why would…why would you need to do that?"

Even through the darkness he saw her fingers grip the counter a little tighter before she spoke; she sounded _annoyed_ at herself, "_Because_…I feel like I just keep…trying to _corrupt_ you…"

Optimus choked back a confused laugh, "C-corrupt me? _How_?"

Tessa breathed in deeply through her nose before sighing heavily; her back still facing him as she got her concerns off her chest, "You're just so…new, and innocent; and you've never tried to take advantage of me for your own gain…and like some harlot, all I'm doing is just…I'm _sorry_!"

"Tessa…" he murmured gently, stepping up behind her and placing his hands over hers on the countertop, his larger palms engulfing hers as he pressed against her back and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Why…_why_ would you be sorry? For _what_?"

He felt her shudder an exhaling breath against his chest as she hung her head to her chest and dropped her voice to an embarrassed whisper.

"Because I _want_ you…"

The Prime felt her fingers tighten against the counter again before she continued.

"I know that we're…I know we love each other…but you're the _innocent_ one in this relationship; and I feel like I'm always…trying to steal it from you…"

A heavy sigh escaped him as he gently took her wrists in his hands, pressing his chest against her back, "Tessa…I have been fighting in this war for centuries…any _innocent_ frame of mind I once had was destroyed long before I met you…" he gently turned her in his grasp, trapping her between the counter and his chest, "…in any case, there is no theft from one who is…_willing_. I would never deny you."

His glowing blue eyes were the only source of light in the dark kitchen, and although the luminescence was a little eerie; the fact that it came from _him_ made it comforting. With his ability to see even in pitch blackness, he saw her swallow thickly before she spoke in a breathy whisper.

"…Kiss me…"

Without a second thought, he crashed his mouth down on hers and pulled her close to him; feeling her waste no time sliding her tongue against his lip and gripping the front of his shirt. She kissed him forcefully, almost _hungrily_ this time; and there was something much more…_pressing_ about these kisses. His left hand fell to her waist and gripped at the hem of her shirt for some sort of mental grounding as he plucked up the courage to slip the Holoform's tongue past his teeth and into the cavern of her mouth; sliding the orifice slowly across the wall of her mouth. While he had tried to prepare himself for the sensation of using the muscle for the first _real_ time…there was _nothing_ on Earth or Cybertron that could've prepared him for how he reacted to Tessa's _response_.

She inhaled a surprised breath before she moaned against his mouth; unable to control the lust in the sound. Her hand on his chest had tightened violently, the nails biting _erotically_ into his skin. Not even Primus himself could have predicted Optimus' reaction.

His Spark had ignited furiously, crackling within his chest with sheer _animal_ primitiveness. The reaction was instinctual, primal, and wanted dominance; it wanted _Tessa_! With what could only be described as a sheer _snarl_, his hands dropped from their respective places and gripped her forcefully by the back of her thighs; aggressively lifting her up onto the counter and placing himself between her legs without breaking their passionate kiss. He had done nothing to hurt her (_Primus, even in his most primal of modes, he would __never_) but the action _had_ made her gasp in surprise, which only served as an opportunity for the lust-drunken Holoform to traced his tongue over her own; causing her to groan against his kisses.

Tessa's hand tangled themselves aggressively into his hair; trying to pull him closer. Optimus' hands dug into the countertop either side of her hips; the evident strength of his Holoform actually leaving _nail marks_ in the hard surface as he allowed her to grab _fistfuls_ of his hair in her hands.

His Spark was purring with sheer, lustful pleasure at their actions.

In a desperate, hungry attempt to get closer to him; Tessa traced her bare ankles up the back of his legs before locking them around his hips; drawing him in closer to her and forcing their bodies flush against one another. She twined her tongue desperately with his, digging her nails into his scalp as she gripped him.

Optimus felt something pool deep in the pit of the Holoform's abdomen as she tightened her legs around his hips; feeling the junction of her thighs press against his stomach; not quite offering relief from the tension in the air, but more of a promise of the road down which they were heading. Their kisses were deep, uncontrolled, and he couldn't _stop_.

Not even _if_ he wanted to.

Under the cooperative control of his Spark; a primal and animal desire came to him as he recalled the drive she had taken him on where he had overloaded. This was so much _better_! With rumbling moan into her mouth, his right hand slid from the counter until it touch the outside of her thigh; the fabric of her shorts having ridden up a little, giving him access to her bare skin. With a pleased purr, his fingers traced the skin with surprising gentleness considering the frantic neediness of the rest of their actions.

_Primus bless the internet_, he thought, surprisingly coherently as he tried to find information on sexual stimulation for human femmes. There was _a lot_ of detailed informative data, but he decided to keep it simple and gentle. Despite his Spark just _wanting_ to claim her, Optimus refused to make this all about lust. There was a gesture he needed to return for her.

The hand that rested on her thigh now slid to the converge between her legs, looking for the reaction it needed to show that it was doing the right thing. When she separated their lips and gave a strangled gasp that sounded like his name, he suspected he'd found it.

"O-_Optimus_!" she whispered breathlessly, one of the hands in his hair dropping to clench his shoulder, "Oh my Go-_Oh my __God_!"

It was only now that he understood how she had managed to bring him to overload without expecting anything for herself…just _hearing_ the ecstasy in her voice was enough to please him; his Spark swelling with love that _he_ was the one causing her to whisper his name and make those _noises_. Gently and cautiously, he slid the Holoform's hand underneath the hem of the baggy shorts and dragged his thumb across the raw skin underneath, covered by a second; much closer, layer of fabric.

_This_ time, Tessa opened her mouth in a silent scream and clenched his shoulder tightly before she bent forward and bit down on the shoulder she had access to. To his surprise; it didn't actually hurt, it was just…_arousing_.

"Opt…imus…" she hissed harshly, "Wh…what are you-_ah_! What are you…doing?"

Burying his face into her neck, he was unable to resist the incredibly _human_ urge to drag his tongue across her throat, causing her breath to hitch as he spoke against her skin, "Returning a favour…" he rumbled.

That was when Tessa realized what he was planning; to bring her to metaphorical overload as she had done for him. As much as the gesture was…_wonderful_, that was not what she wanted to happen tonight; she wanted to _share_ this with him.

"W-wait, Ch_ief_!" she gasped, unable to stop her body from trembling against his as he administered touches to the most intimate of places a human would ever know. She lowered her free hand and took his wrist to gently pull his hand from her shorts; she didn't fail to feel the ache at the loss of contact.

As if brought from a daze, he gave her a concerned look; despite his glowing eyes being incredibly _crowded_ with lust. "Tessa?" he breathed worriedly, unable to stall the heavy exhales that racked his chest, "Wh-what? Did I do it…wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"N…no." she gasped, still recovering from the loss of his hand against her. She craned her neck down and planted a kiss to his throat, "I just don't…don't want you to do _that_ for me-"

"-But…you did the same…for _me_. Why would you not-"

She cut him off with a sloppy kiss covering his mouth before she cupped his face in her hands, licking her swollen lips before she spoke, "Because…tonight, is for the _both_ of us…Take me to my room…and if you're _willing_, Optimus…" she slid a hand from his face and trailed it down the musculature of his torso before slipping a finger into the waistband of his pants; dragging it sideways across his abdomen slowly, "…then there is something…_human_, that I want to teach you tonight…"

With a strangled groan wrenched from his throat at her touches, he grasped her thighs firmly and pulled her in for another fierce, searing kiss before trailing his lips across her throat; his voice dropping to a hissing growl against her skin.

"Show me…_please_."


	56. Tangled Up In You

**8 PAGES IN MICROSOFT WORD THIS IS! ****8 PAGES****? **_**HOLY MOTHER OF MEGATRON! **_

**Well everybody, after making you all wait 55 Chapters with nothing but a few kisses and some innocent touching being dangled in your face like a carrot, I FINALLY give you a lemon between Optimus and Tessa.**

**And OH BOY is it a doozy…I am **_**SO**_** embarrassed right now, but I'm also incredibly proud.**

**Considering I've never even kissed anyone before; and still managed to write THIS? Yeah, I'm pretty gosh-darn proud…hahaha.**

**Just a warning to those who are offended by sexual content; this ENTIRE CHAPTER is a lemon. So if you don't want to read it, then you'll just have to wait for the next update to start reading again.**

**However I have tried to keep this scene about LOVE, not just lust…but I mean…It's **_**sex**_**, there's going to be SOME lust in there hahaha.**

**Anyhow, I would like to thank one of my reviewers, Skyie, for pointing out that I've started to use italicized words a lot lately; I've tried to drop it back a little in this one, so thank you for the critique :)**

**Also, to Gunnery Sergeant, your comment about me using the term 'animal' to describe Optimus' actions in the last chapter; Just to point out, I meant it more in the sense that the **_**actions**_** and his feelings were animalistic, not that he was being animal. As in '**_**an animal-like primitiveness**_**' sort of sense. Sorry if I misconstrued! Thank you for pointing it out so I could clarify!**

**And lucky last: CONGRATULATIONS to one of my Anonymous Reviewers who left only the name DJP, for being my 1000****th**** reviewer. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story.**

**Anyway, enough with my rambling; I'm sure you're all just ready for OP and Tess to (**_**to quote Reviewer, Racquelli Motzerelli**_**) 'get it on like donkey kong'. That made me laugh.**

**ENJOY! **

With slightly wobbly grip, Tessa slid herself off the counter, she exhaled heavily and took a step in an attempt to lead the way to her bedroom; but her legs trembled from Optimus' earlier ministrations, and she stumbled. With a surprised sound, he caught her firmly around the middle, her face pressing into his chest; she could hear the solid hum of the Holoform's Spark beneath the skin.

Now that their earlier…frenzy, for lack of a better term, had calmed a little; it was replaced with a relaxed nervousness on both their parts.

"Come on, Chief," she murmured after finally regaining some steady footing; gently sliding her hand down his arm to interlock her fingers into his. He looked down at the gesture almost confusedly before she lifted their arms and kissed the back of his hand reassuringly before lowering her voice to a whisper, "this way…"

He allowed her to lead him down the hallway towards her quarters, her bare feet barely making a sound as his boots thumped the flooring solidly. It was only as she walked a little ahead of him, still holding his hand mind you, that he realized just how slight her figure was.

She was slender in build and her pale skin was firm; clearly the result of her trade in manual labour. But her hips were slightly broader (_child-bearing hips, the internet told him_) and gave her figure a fullness that it would have otherwise lacked. He found the curves of her outline…rather pleasant to look at in such close proximity.

When she stopped outside her bedroom door and opened it slowly, she cast him a glance and smiled at him gently; her face clearly flushed nervously, "In here…" she murmured.

It was only now that he had begun to regain some of his conscious senses that he could take note of how nervous she seemed. He knew she had done this before, she had told him so; but he also recalled her saying that she was very rarely the instigator…that it was new for her to be the more experienced one in the relationship.

In a way, it relieved him that it was sort of unexplained territory for her as well.

He heard the door click shut behind them and she gently pulled him towards her bed before turning to face him.

Tessa took both of his hands in hers and traced the back of them with her thumbs as she looked up at him seriously, "Are you _sure_ about this, Optimus? I'll be…stealing whatever human innocence you have left…you know?"

A soft smile escaped him as he removed his hands from her grasp and placed them tenderly on her face; planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. "There is no theft from one who is willing, Tessa…" he whispered quietly; repeating the phrase from only moments before, "…Show me…_teach_ me."

He watched in fascination as her doubt finally started to melt away from her expression. Gently, she took one of his hands and sat on the edge of the bed before sliding onto the middle; taking Optimus with her and guiding him to brace himself over her with knees and arms either side of her form.

Just like at her father's birthday party, his hands rested either side of the sheets beside her head, and his knees bracing his body on each side of her hips. She looked up at him from the mattress with an amused smile before she spoke, "I think I just got de` ja vu…" she whispered.

To her surprise, and amusement, he quirked an eyebrow at her curiously, "I…do not know what that means…?" he murmured softly.

Tess gave a giggle at this, running one finger teasingly along his jawline as she spoke, "It's when you feel like something is repeating itself; we laid like this after the party at my family's…do you remember?"

Instinctually, his face lowered into her touch; his forehead brushing her nose as he spoke, "I could never forget," he rumbled, "nor would I wish to."

Raising his head to look at her, his eyes contained something different. It was nervousness, anticipation…_eagerness_, in a way. His gaze flickered briefly to her throat, and glanced down at the way they were laying. She saw him nervously run his tongue over the Holoform's lip before he swallowed thickly. That was when she realized; he was waiting for her to show him what he was supposed to do, to instruct him. Optimus had never instigated actions like this before, and so she would have to show him how.

"Let's…start off simple, Chief." She whispered reassuringly, her fingers reaching up to play with his blue-black tresses, "Just kiss me."

She craned her neck a little as he simultaneously dipped his head; their lips meeting in the middle. With gentle, almost tentative movements, she softly pried his mouth open with her own; tracing her tongue along his lip. She was surprised to find that he was reciprocating quite well; he was clearly getting a little more confident with how to kiss, and she was glad he was beginning to feel more comfortable with it. She noticed that her head had started to sink back onto the bed; touching the sheets with her hair; and that was when she realized that Optimus was the cause.

He was pressing into her as they kissed, trying to get as much closeness from the gesture as he could; and it was _wonderful_. Her fingers twined themselves into his hair firmly as she returned the force; their faces near melding at the closeness they tried to acquire. Sliding her eyes open a fraction, she noticed that Optimus' own eyes were closed; his brow drawn a little at the intensity of their kiss. She glanced to the side and realized that the hand that rested on her mattress had its fingers curled into the sheets in a soft fist.

With a giggle through her nose, closed her eyes again and pressed into him; sliding her tongue teasingly down his and earning a _deliciously_ innocent moan from him. The hand that was not entangled in his hair gripped the front of his shirt as their kiss gained a little more heat, her skin prickling excitedly; causing goose bumps on her bare arms.

She gently separated their lips and tickled her fingers against his scalp as he opened his eyes; appearing more than just a little bit dazed as he regarded her. He noticed that she maintained solid eye contact with him, her cheeks flaring a little bit in the darkness as she chewed her bottom lip embarrassedly.  
>"Are you…ready to step it up a little bit?"<p>

He couldn't help himself from letting a chuckle rumble up his chest; the sound reverberating the air around them, "I am not going to break, Tessa…" he murmured with a slight smile, "I can handle this."

A mockingly miffed expression crossed her face as she realized that he was _teasing_ her.

_Oh_, she thought cheekily, _I'll show him just how much he'll need to __handle_.

Her features knitted into a seductive smile and her voice dropped to a purr as she raised one of her legs. "Oh _can_ you now…?" she whispered, trailing her fingers along the neck of his shirt. Using her knee, she slid her bare leg up against the inside of his before gently grazing his inner thigh through the cloth of his pants, "…You can…_handle_ this?" With a cheeky blush, she slid her knee gently up against the groin of the Holoform; delighting in the reaction as his eyes widened in surprise and a gasp escaped his lips. His head craned forward a little and squeezed his eyes shut as the pleasurable sensations ran rampant up the Holoform's spine; curling into his abdomen subtly.

Taking advantage of his movement, she tucked her face underneath his chin and planted a searing hot kiss against his skin; eliciting another sensationally innocent gasp from him. Surprisingly, the sound made her skin tingle; she knew it was a physical reaction to his proximity, and to what they were currently doing.

She hadn't been lying when she'd said she wanted him.

"Optimus," she whispered softly, "…sit up a little."

Taking a second to regain some composure, he nodded and rocked back onto his knees; sitting on his feet by tucking them underneath him. His boots, before seeming practical and essential, were now cumbersome and bothering. However he ignored it for the moment as he watched her hoist herself up into a sitting position; untucking her legs from underneath his form. He watched her curiously, waiting for her guidance or direction; not quite sure of what she wanted from him at this point.

She wasn't about to disappoint him.

Tessa leaned forward on one hand, reaching for his with the other. She clasped his palm gently and sat back again; upright in her position as she reached for his other hand. Tentatively, she placed his fingers at the hem of her wife-beater and looked up at him as he gave her a confused expression. Lifting her face, she planted a quick, reassuring kiss to his lips before she guided his hands; curling his fingers under the fabric.

She lifted her arms above her head slowly and looked at him with a gentle smile, "Pull it up…" she whispered.

Looking down at his hands, he slowly and experimentally began to raise the hem of her shirt up. To his surprise, he found that he was actually delighting in the sight of the cloth gathering in his fingers, sliding softly up over her pale skin tone; revealing her navel underneath. As he tentatively brought it a little higher and pulled it snugly over her head, she sat before him in a pair of plain cotton shorts and a strip of grey fabric that cupped her breasts.

He was surprised to find that despite her lack of being Cybertronian, his Spark purred happily; clearly appealed by her physical appearance. That was when he realized that it was not reacting to her species, but Tessa as an individual. He _loved_ her, and in turn his Spark was responding in kind; it was trying to connect to her soul. Suddenly unable to resist, he leaned forward and placed his mouth on her collarbone; delighting in the surprised gasp it earned him. He planted the kiss, and then held her chin in his finger and pressed his forehead against hers; his eyes sliding shut in bliss.

"Tessa…" he breathed gently, "…you are _glorious_…"

He opened his eyes and saw the scarlet cross her cheeks before she swiftly kissed him on the mouth with a giggle.

"Your turn, Chief," she whispered, "Let's make you a little more…comfortable."

Not understanding at first, he felt her press her hands to his chest before she stroked then gently along the Holoform's pectoral muscles; sliding them beneath the hem of the jacket he wore. As she slid it down his arms, she allowed it to drop away from his body; however she was startled when it instantly disintegrated in a cloud of electrical pulses.

The sparks very briefly created their own light before the room went dark again.

"Wow…" she breathed, "It just…disappeared?"

"The Holoform's clothing is an extension of myself," Optimus explained gently, "When it is no longer touching the body; I have no power over it."

Tessa gave an almost Cheshire grin before she pointed to his feet, "Well in that case… Boots. Off." The Autobot gave a reverberating chuckle and kicked off the offending shoes; noticing the mechanic delighting in their disintegration. It was then he realized that she had reached for the hem of his shirt and looked up at him, "Close your eyes and lift your arms like I did." She murmured to him.

With a curious smile, he did as she asked; waiting expectantly for her to remove the clothing article as he had with hers. However she lifted the black undershirt much slower than he had, and gave a startled choke when he felt her tongue press against the chorded muscles on his chest. He squirmed a little at the feeling, but did not stop her.

As she lifted the shirt inch by inch, her mouth trailed along the grooves in his torso; the sensations nearly _killing_ him with pleasure. Finally she brought the shirt over his head; the article of clothing disintegrating upon losing contact with the Holoform, and she planted a trail of kisses up his now bare chest and brought her lips almost hungrily to his own.

The kisses were not so tentative now; instead they were heated; almost fervent in their intensity.

Bracing a hand on his upper arm, she spun him slowly from his sitting position until he was lying down on the mattress; her kisses long and passionate. He returned them as best as he was able; the Holoform's own tongue reacting to hers as their mouths melded intensely. Swinging a leg over, Tessa found herself practically _straddling_ him; and Optimus realized that his body tingled feverishly at the contact.

She raked her nails seductively down his torso before her fingers trailed down his abdomen and traced the hem of his pants. Sliding the button out of the clasp gently, she hooked her thumbs into the belt loop of the clothing and tugged it down barely an inch before she looked up at him with a mad blush on her face.

"Just relax, Optimus," she whispered, trying to ignore her own embarrassment at what she was about to try, "this is a little…_trick_…"

Inch by inch, she pulled the fabric down over his legs and watched as it disappeared in a cloud of pulse sparks. The Holoform, now entirely unclothed before her, seemed anticipant; nervous as he shifted a little. Having him naked before her like this allowed Tessa to take in his form in a brief detail before she moved on.

His finely musclular torso narrowed a little at the waist, a small trail of blue black hair leading from the Holoform's navel to the pubic bone; given his height, his penis was a little on the larger side. His strong hips tapered into long, well-muscled thighs and a very slight amount of the same fine, blue-black hair dotted his legs; almost invisible unless a closer look was taken.

Tess found him quite…_beautiful_.

Suddenly realizing that she had taken her time observing him, she continued with her ministrations on him; planting a reassuring kiss on his neck before she placed the tips of her fingers on his collarbone. Using her long, work-stained nails, she dragged them slowly, agonizingly down his body; following the dips and grooves of his musculature as she did so. She earned a hitched breath from him as her nails dragged over the space of skin below his navel before they ran over the length of his semi-erection. Using the same technique as she had several days ago with the gear stick of the Peterbilt, she twined her lithe fingers around the shaft gently and her nails dragging teasingly on the underside. She heard a strangled cry from above and as she looked up, she saw the Holoform's head pressed back against her sheets; eyebrows drawn together and teeth gritted in an attempt to control the sensations.

Wanting him to let go and really _feel_ the ministrations, she smiled to herself and trailed her fingers up towards the head.

"Ever the leader, aren't you Optimus…?" she whispered gently, "…well you don't have to _lead_ here…Stop holding back, just _feel_."

To prove her point, she dragged her thumb over the head as her nails ran along the underside of the heated flesh. A primal growl clawed its way up his chest and his back arched against his own volition; his fists grasping desperately at the sheets for something solid to ground him.

"T…Tess…" he breathed in disbelief, a heavy hiss escaping through his teeth as he unwillingly lifted his hips from the mattress; his body desiring more of the incredible touches. The mechanic didn't respond to him, she just gave a small, understanding smile before tightening her fingers gently around the erection; his teeth unclenching themselves as his mouth opened in a silent scream.

Primus, the sensations were too incredible; how was he supposed to stay _coherent_?

"_Tessa_," he hissed again, "W-wait."

Lifting her head, she softened her grip on him and watched him with a concerned expression, "Optimus; are you alright? Do you want to stop…?"

He shook his head dazedly against the sheets, "N-no. Tess…I need _you_."

She felt her heart flutter at what he was asking for, unwittingly feeling the tingle pool within her belly at the thought.

Enough games.

Gently and slowly, she released the length of heated flesh from her fingers and curled her other hand around his neck and lifted him into a sitting position at the edge of the bed, stepping off of it herself so that she was standing in front of him. He remained silent, waiting for her to tell him what he needed to do. However to his surprise, she hooked her thumbs into the elastic waistband of her shorts and slowly pushed them down; eventually allowing the fabric (_along with her underwear_) to pool at her ankles before she stepped out of them. Naked from the waist down, she took a step towards him and planted a quick, gentle kiss on his lips before she lifted her hands to the bottom of the sports bra.

She slid the fabric up over her head and went to remove the article. No sooner than she had gently let it drop to the ground, Optimus felt an instinct that had to have been the Holoform choosing to react _humanly_ to the sight of her pale, supple skin. In a flash of speed born from battle, his left hand shot out and clasped her around the small of her back and pulled her into him as he pressed his mouth to her breast; earning a surprised gasp from her.

"_Optimus_!" she breathed as she glanced down at him, "Wh-what are you _doing_?"

He removed his lips from the skin to nuzzle his nose into the space beneath the curve of her breast before he responded to her. "Not holding back…" he rumbled, "…like you _told_ me to…"

"Wh-_Oh my __God_!" Tessa found herself feeling a little weak at the knees as he pressed his mouth to the mound of flesh once more, dragging the Holoform's tongue over the nipple. An almost embarrassingly raw moan escaped her as he did so, lifting her hand to tangle her fingers into his silken hair.

His attentions were inexperienced, but God bless him, he was learning quickly.

As he rained his attention on her left breast, his left hand slid from the small of her back and up to the one on her right; tenderly tracing his fingers over the curvature. Tessa felt as though she was going to die right then and there; but in a _very_ good way.

His right hand traced up her left thigh before resting gently on the back of her hip; his finger just borderline on the skin of her bottom. As he traced his tongue gently, tentatively, across her nipple again; he rolled the other between his fingers; however the pinch was just a little too firm and she made a sharp, pained gasp from the back of her throat.

Optimus detached his mouth from her skin and looked up at her in suddenly frantic worry, "Did I do it wrong, Tess? I'm sorry! Did…did I hurt you-"

She cut him off by seizing him by either side of his neck; her thumbs resting on the junctions of his ears and throat as a needy growl escaped her.

An incredibly primal and arousingly needy growl.

"_Don't_," she hissed before planted a forceful, comparatively lustful kiss to his mouth; sliding her tongue against his before she separated their lips noisily and continued, "Don't you _dare_ stop to apologize!"

He was not given time to respond as she conjoined their lips once more, pushing his back onto the mattress and tracing her fingers tantalizingly over his arms. She kissed him much more forcefully this time around, fervently sliding her lips against his own. It was sloppy, desperate and unco-ordinated.

And it was _perfect_.

It wasn't until she actually slightly lowered herself down to kiss his chest that she felt the turgid skin of his erection brush against the inside of her thigh; and she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He wasn't used to the sensations of _human_ sex at least (_she was uncertain as to whether or not he'd had any experience like this back in his days of Cybertron, however_) and the anticipation had to be killing him. Sliding her hand from his arm, she brought her fingers down across his chest and down his stomach before she gently grasped his length. She found herself actually delighted by the still-insanely-innocent-and-naïve gasp she was able to pull from him; the action separating their lips so that she could focus on her new task.

Holding his erection gently in her hand, she guided him to the very tip of her entrance; holding herself over him with as much restraint as she could.

Tessa was not a promiscuous or vulgar person when it came to sex. She was quite bashful really, and easily embarrassed; but right now all she wanted was _him_. She wanted him inside her, as close to her as was physically possible for her species.

"Are you ready for this, Chief?" she asked breathlessly, patiently awaiting his go-ahead despite how _im_patient she felt inside.

To her surprise, he opened his eyes and raised a hand to cup her chin softly; his eyes focused on her unashamedly and unembarrassedly as he rumbled to her, "…_Teach_ me."

He kept his hand on her chin, and maintained eye contact with her as she nodded in understanding. Positioning herself properly, she took his other hand and twined her fingers with his before she lowered herself onto him; their eyes still connected.

Optimus gave a surprised and insuppressibly delicious moan as he felt her body envelop him; convulsing him to sit up against her as she straddled him and slide his hands up against her bare back. The Holoform's nails bit softly into the skin there as Tessa sat for a few seconds; adjusting to the feeling of him inside her.

It had been just over two years since she'd had a sexual partner, having ended a serious relationship about a year before joining N.E.S.T; so although she wasn't unpractised in the act of sex; her body was still taking a moment to become used to the intrusion. Not to mention he was a little bigger than her last partner; not excessively, but enough for it to make a difference.

He was buried to the hilt, and revelling in the sensation of having her wrapped entirely around him; but he sat still beneath her as he planted a soft, deep kiss to her clavicle at her throat. However pleasant the ministration may have been, it wasn't enough for her once she had adjusted to the size of him.

"O…Optimus…" she breathed, her fingers clenched into his hair as she pulled at it softly, "You…need to _move_."

He removed his mouth from her throat to look at her with a confused expression, "I don't understand? Is this not human interfacing?"

She had to take a breath to compose herself enough to speak again, "Sort of…th-there's one…_ah_…one last step…"

"One more…?" he murmured confusedly, perfectly content to just sit the way they were; he didn't understand how the human version of interfacing was supposed to _get_ better than what they were doing, because it already felt wonderful, "Then what-_argh_! Primus, what-_ngh_!"

Tessa had taken it upon herself to clench her muscles and gently grind her hips slowly against his own. The sharp sensations flared up his spine almost violently at her movements and curled into the Holoform's belly dangerously. He wasn't sure what the term would be to describe what she was doing…

…But whatever it was made his eyes cross in ecstasy.

A heavy, uncontrollable groan slipped past his lips as the pads of his fingers pressed into her back; pushing her closer to him as she slowly moved against him. It was unreal…he'd never _felt_ anything like this!

Tessa pressed her lips heavily to his own, tracing her tongue tantalizingly into the walls of his mouth. It was hungrier this time; on both of their parts. Optimus found himself relishing the taste of her, the smell of her; the _feel_ of her.

He could feel the form of the Peterbilt vaguely in the back of his mind; feel its engine ignite at the Holoform's own sense of pleasure. Something was active inside him, his Spark was reacting greedily; its age-old instinct of claiming; it wanted release. It was an instantaneous snap within his processors, and his body (_despite it being the Holoform at the present time_) want _more_ of the sensations, more of Tessa.

Separating their lips with a fierce growl, his mouth found her neck; his hands gripping her thighs firmly before pulling her forward and driving himself deeply into her body. Tessa gave a sharp cry before a loud moan escaped her; her body flying into an ecstatic frenzy at the bolt of pleasure that travelled up her spine. This motion continued for a short while; the Holoform burying himself into her as deeply as possible, hitting the sensitive nerves within her body making her either gasp, moan, and at one point she _screamed_.

Eventually though, Optimus gripped her left thigh with one hand, her shoulder in the other, and in one swift, seemingly effortless move; he spun them from their position so that Tessa was flat on her back. He didn't pull out of her, he didn't stop moving; and he _certainly_ didn't separate their bodies in any way.

She could see the clouded lust in his eyes, and knew that he was too far gone to it for him to be coherent; but hell she didn't care! He continued to drive himself into her, his lips finding hers out of habit and sealing them with deep, affectionate kisses. He was coherent enough to know that this was his Tessa; the one his Spark loved and adored, but he would certainly not have been able to put together any intelligent sentence at this point.

The hand that rested on her thigh used her leg as a braced, pulling her closer to him every time he ground his hips to hers; and by this point, Tessa had lost all ability to string two logical words together. In all her life, in all her relationships; she'd never had _sex_ like this. She'd never been driven into the mattress this hard before, and she _wasn't_ complaining; ecstasy was so close, she only had to stretch a little further to reach it.

Optimus' other hand lowered itself from her shoulder; tracing over her breast on its way and then gripped her other thigh, just as he plunged himself into her as deeply as he could.

Stars exploded in front of her eyes as he hit the bundle of sensitive receptive nerves deep within her core; and her back arched so far against him that for a brief second Optimus feared her spine would snap. But as the most body-numbing, mind-blowing orgasm rocked her form; her walls clenched around him, causing a guttural roar to claw its way up his throat as she triggered off his own release, filling her with searing hot Energon – the only form of lubrication a Holoform possessed.

Months of romantic, sexual tension and playful banter unbound themselves in that one, singular moment; and as Optimus collapsed over her, bracing himself with his arm either side of her, they knew that this was how it was meant to be.

They would never be able to love any other as they loved each other right now; in this moment.

Both of them were breathing heavily as they came down slowly from their respective highs. The Holoform's blue-black tresses were tousled and matted to his hair with what looked like sweat, his arms trembled from the weight of his body; finding it difficult to support in the wake of such an intense overload. Beneath him, Tessa's tiny body felt like jelly; her small chest heaving for breath after such a bout. Reluctantly sliding himself from her body, she reacted with a soft, exhausted gasp before she shakily reached up to touch his face; her eyes burning into his.

"That…" she whispered, her voice hardly making a sound, "Optimus that…I've never _felt_ anything like…that."

Unable to hold the Holoform's dead weight any longer, he exhaustedly slid to the right side of her; his left hand remaining around her waist as he tucked her into his chest. Pressing her flush against him, he buried his face into her hair, inhaling deeply only to be granted with the scent of sweat, sex, and that washing product she used…shampoo? Whatever it was, it smelled lovely.

"I didn't…hurt you did I…?" he asked gently; his fingers tightening protectively around her.

She gave a tired giggle and shook her head, planting a kiss on his chest sweetly. "Chief…that was the most…_incredible_ sex I've ever – and I mean _ever_ – had in my life…"

He noticed the way she briefly paused before she actually said the was 'sex' and found it endearing that even in the throes of complete bliss, she was still his bashful Tessa. He held her tightly in a cuddle before the Holoform gave a sparking noise; like a zap. He tried to ignore it, but Tessa already knew exactly what it meant.

"You should dismiss the Holoform, Chief." She said simply, matter-of-factly.

Optimus shook his head firmly, "I will not allow you to fall asleep alone; not after that… It just… would not be right."

To his surprise, she giggled and gave a sigh before sitting up slowly and turning to him as he lay beside her; completely unashamed of the Holoform's magnificent nakedness. Considering that Cybertronians did not even _wear_ clothes, it made sense that they wouldn't be uncomfortable without them. After all there only purpose was to cover skin; and Transformers were made of metal.

"Optimus," she said gently, tracing his chin with one hand, "You're right outside in my driveway. I know you are, and there's nothing wrong with that. Let the Holoform go…I'll still be here when you wake up in the morning."

He gave a defeated sigh and sat up, knowing that he was absolutely not going to be able to hold the Holoform all night like he had once before, "As will I…when _you_ wake."

With a soft, contented smile she leaned forward and planted a soft kiss to his lips before letting her head fall to his shoulder, "Thank you…this was absolutely the best birthday present I could have asked for…"

Cradling her against the crook in his neck, he gave a reverberating chuckle and kissed the top of her gently, "You are welcome, Tessa…" he said gently, before moving his kisses to her cheek as she leaned against him and dropped his voice to a rumbling, baritone murmur, "…I love you…"

No matter how many times she heard those words said to her, she never got tired of them. He said them with honesty that rivalled her own; no lies or barriers between them. Wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his now damp hair, she gave a smiling sigh.

"And I love you," she whispered, "now dismiss the Holoform and get some rest, Optimus Prime. I will see you in the morning."

She felt his arms encircle her waist tightly for a few seconds before the Holoform finally dissipated into a cloud of tiny pulse sparks; leaving her hair static for a while.

With a heavy, contented sigh, she slid herself under the sheets of her bed; far too content and exhausted to bother dressing herself. Settling herself into the mattress with a tiny blush and a secretive smile, she allowed her eyelids to slide shut. They opened again, however, when she heard the rumbling engine of the Peterbilt as it rolled slowly over her lawn; parking just beside her bedroom window that way a puppy sleeps at the foot of a bed. With an amused giggle, she raised her voice a little, hoping he could hear her.

"Good night, Optimus…"

She could have sworn she heard the engine rev briefly in response, before it finally shut off; leaving both of them to the quiet stillness of the night so that they could rest. Tessa found herself reaffirming to herself what she had said to Optimus earlier, and she totally, _absolutely_ agreed with herself.

This was _definitely_ the best birthday she'd had in her life…


	57. We Believe

**Much calmer chapter this time; just a little bit of 'morning after' atmosphere for them to play on. **

**Personally, I LOVE flirty Optimus. He's just so cute; really. If a guy acted like him, I'd probably actually consider dating for the first time in my life hahaha. Anyhow, not a lot to comment on this one. I hope you guys enjoy.**

**Sorry about the longer wait for this one, we've had self-service checkouts installed at work (Lord, kill me now-I HATE them) and we've been training how to use them all week -.-**

**Self-Service sucks. Hahaha**

**P.S. There has been a spin-off made to this story by an author called Skyie.**

**She's writing an IronhidexOC using the characters from Primary Mechanisms and she runs the chapters by me after she writes them so that we can get it just right. The only thing I really do is proof-read and offer ideas, all the writing is hers. I think it's going to be really good, so make sure you check it out!**

**It's called ****Thickness of Skin****: **_**When the sparkmate of Optimus is threatened, her protection comes from an unlikely source. Ironhide objects and sparks fly!**_

Morning light crept across the front lawn and up the driveway.

The orange/yellow glow gently snaked its way up the concrete, finding the blue and red metal of a Peterbilt parked carefully on a weed-choked lawn beneath a large window. The light eventually seeped through the curtains and spilled onto the bed of the auburn haired mechanic, naked and twisted up in light cotton sheets.

As Tessa stirred softly, the light began to prickle her eyelids before she gently slid them open. She took a few moments to remember what had happened the previous night, and when she did, a pink flush dusted her cheekbones before she slid from her mattress; noticing that her legs ached a little and she had a muscle cramp in her abdomen. Her blush spread further at the physical reminders of the previous night. Gathering the light sheets over her body, she moved over quietly to the window and peeked through the curtains. The hood of the truck that had become so precious to her was level with the window, considering that her house was raised on lattice decking it made it a little higher than one at ground level.

Twisting the lock on the window, she slowly opened it with a gentle smile and stretched her arm out to touch the red and blue metal. She traced her palm along it softly with a whisper.

"You awake Chief…?" she murmured quietly, the morning sun warming her blushed face.

She heard a gentle rumble come from the engine before his voice made its way quietly from the grill; remaining low to avoid drawing any attention.

"I was listening to you sleep…" he murmured, "I find it _fascinating_ when you talk while you rest."

Her face flushed a little more scarlet as her fingers paused on the hood; her blanketed middle leaning against the sill of the open window, "I…talk in my sleep? Really?"

"Only minutely, most of it I could not make out. It was fairly nonsensical, but it was wonderful to hear."

With an embarrassed giggle, she poked the hood of the truck before leaning back inside, her hands rested on the windowsill, "Wow, I have a stalker truck," she laughed quietly before gesturing at the house with her thumb, "I'm just gonna go have some breakfast…you're welcome to come inside if you like, Chief; I'm pretty sure that…we left the door unlocked last night."

"I would not have allowed anyone to break into your home, Tessa; I _would_ not." He growled reassuringly, the engine rumbling a little at the idea of someone, _anyone_ trying to break into his Tessa's sanctuary. To his surprise, she laughed.

"I know that, Optimus…In any case, I've never actually _had_ someone try to break in. The neighbourhood is pretty safe; everyone watches out for each other around here." A soft look crossed her face as she pushed herself up off the windowsill and moved to close the window, "I'll be inside Chief, and you're more than welcome to come in."

Clicking the latch shut, she made her way to her chest of drawers and pulled out some clean underwear before throwing a pair of cotton shorts and a loose fitting tank top over them. Then, running her fingers through her tangled hair, she made her way to the kitchen and set about cooking some breakfast; pulling out a fry pan and all the ingredients that she would need to make bacon and eggs.

Pulling a packet of Skittles from the cupboard, she withdrew a few of them and set the remainder on the bench, an action which suddenly drew her attention to a set of crescent shaped marks on the countertop. In wonder, her fingertips traced the marks with a confused expression before the realization hit her.

This was where Optimus had lifted her to the counter.

The marks had to be from where he'd braced himself against her last night; during the beginning of their (_for lack of any better term_) bump-and-grind session. The very memory of it made Tessa flush with embarrassment before she ran a hand over the marks again with an amused sigh.

"How am I supposed to explain _these_ to the landlord…?" she perplexed to herself.

With a shrug, she set about preparing what she needed to make breakfast; hearing her front door shoved open and swing closed loudly. She giggled to herself at the mental image she suddenly had of the Holoform stumbling to force the door open. It was incredibly difficult to try and move the wood from its frame to get into the house; and the landlord never fixed it. As she cracked two eggs into the frying pan at low heat, she heard a set of footsteps behind her and she half expected Optimus to say a greeting of some sort, or sit at the kitchen bench and wait for her.

Instead, she felt two arms snake their way around her middle, and a pair of lips tickle her bare shoulder.

A squeaking giggle escaped her as she dropped a hand to touch his forearm, "You're going to make me burn the eggs, Chief!" she laughed, feeling his mouth trace innocently from her shoulder to the junction of her neck. His chest was pressed flush against her back, and his hands gently traced from her stomach, to the sides of her hips.

"A fair price to pay…" he rumbled deeply, his mouth still brushing her skin, "…for being close to you."

She pretended to scoff at him before reaching her free hand up to his chin and lifting it; turning her head slightly to plant a playful kiss on his cheek, "Well, it may be a fair price for you, but I'm _hungry_!"

He gave a heavy, baritone chuckle before wrapping his arms around her ribs and squeezing her against him, ignoring her surprised squeal, "So am I…" he rumbled against her, his lips tickling her ear playfully.

_God_ he sounded sexy.

Tessa gaped at his words, knowing them to be more than just a little perverted. There was no _way_ he thought to say that himself, because Cybertronians didn't feel _hungry_! "Where did you learn to say something like _that_ Optimus?" she exclaimed in a shocked and amused tone. She felt him shrug against her.

"Internet."

Releasing the frypan, she gave a face palm with an audible _smack_ as she laughed heartily. Turning to look up at him, she tried to keep her expression serious as she spoke, "Chief, don't use phrases to find off the internet."

He looked confused at her words; the internet had so far done nothing but help and aid him, allowing him to better understand her world and the way it worked. "Why would I not say things I find on the internet?"

"Because, baby boy…" she teased playfully, planting a kiss under his chin, "the internet turns people into perverts. And I swear, if you turn into a total perv; I'll give you who to, what for and then smack you in the fenders!"

He gave a rumble and tightened his hold on her as she turned in his grip, flipping over the eggs in the pan as he held her and grazed the bridge of his nose against her hair, "I will behave," he promised her, "…most of the time."

She gave a giggle as he jestingly poked her in the ribs, making her squirm. It was nice to be able to have time like this in between all the work and war that either party had to face. In a way, it saddened her to think that Optimus got so few opportunities to show this side of himself with anyone but her.

True he was a leader, a _good_ one; a leader with a level head, compassionate judgement and harshly raw talent in brutal battling. But Tessa knew things about him that the others, probably nit even Ironhide, knew about him. He was gentle, loving, and funny; so hilariously _funny_ in his own awkward, don't-get-to-crack-blatant-jokes-very-often way. His humour was intelligent, witty, and sometimes required a little thought before it could be understood what he meant. He was also sensitive, and had a lot more self-doubt than his soldiers seemed to realize; he was a gentle soul who would have much preferred a simple, average life than to be the commanding leader in this horrific war that had cost the Autobots so _much_.

But he continued to fight, because he was the defender of those who could not defend themselves; which was one other observation that she'd taken close note of; one of his traits that made her love him the most.

He was selfless.

Optimus fought for his soldiers, for the human race; for people like _her_. She couldn't imagine just how much blood stained those mechanical hands, how many lives he had taken and saved simultaneously through his actions as a leader; by protecting the ones he cared for. It had to be hurting him, there was no way that it couldn't be; a burden of that magnitude was not an easy one to bear. At least now, in silly, loving moments such as these; he didn't need to hide anything.

With a small giggle, she reassuringly placed her free hand over his before flipping the eggs one last time and adding them to the plate she'd placed on her stove. Then she tossed in some bacon strips and released the frypan to let them cook for a while, turning in Optimus' grasp to suddenly converge her mouth over his. He made a surprised sound, but clearly did not object because his hand did not move from her waist.

With a smirk against his lips, Tessa stepped forward and cause Optimus to step back one to follow; she did this several times until his back hit the countertop, causing him to make a muffled sound against her mouth as they kissed. She began to speak in between light, playful kisses.

"You," she started, planting her lips on his quickly, "marked my," another sloppy kiss, "bench. Look…" she moved away from him and pointed to the countertop as he turned, following her hand. She noticed that very faint blue tinged Energon dust across the Holoform's cheekbones as he remembered what had caused it.

"I'm sorry, Tess…I didn't realize…just how strong the…_intensity_ of last night was…" he appeared a little shifty, sort of embarrassed as he said those words, clearly not knowing how to handle the 'morning after' atmosphere as some would call it. Instead of letting him drown in his embarrassment, Tessa gave a soft smile and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind; secretly delighting in their little role switch.

She plants a kiss on his shoulder blade before resting her forehead comfortably against his spine, "It's alright, Chief… I don't mind when you show off a little…_intensity_."

He chuckled at her jest, resting his palm comfortably on her hand; just savouring the feeling of being close and knowing that there were no barriers in their feelings for one another before she planted a kiss to his shoulder. She then disentangled herself from him and glided over casually to continue cooking her breakfast.

There was something…different about her now; she seemed totally comfortable, at ease…complete, in a sense.

Was it normal for humans to emanate such radiance after engaging in an interface? She looked…glowing.

Deciding to let her finish preparing her meal, the Holoform; dressed in simple denim jeans and a snug black t-shirt, moved around to the other side of the counter and sat at one of the barstools, resting his elbows on the surface as he regarded her with interest. She moved with practiced ease around the room, pulling out a plate, two glasses and a cutlery set to eat with; it was clear to see that the environment was familiar, and he found it warming that she had such a _homely_ safe haven.

He noticed that she would glance at him every so often before resuming her task at hand, and eventually she came around the his side of the counter juggling a plate of bacon and eggs, her knife and fork and two full glasses; one full of water and one with her favourite juice.

Tess figured that she didn't want to look like a total grub in front of Optimus by drinking from the carton. She slid the glass of water over to him with a tiny smile and bumped her shoulder against his playfully.

"Here," she said gently, "considering you can't really eat with me; then just…drink with me while I do…okay Chief?"

With a rumbling chuckle, he took the glass in his right hand and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and rested her head against his shoulder; turning to playfully kiss her hair before she sat straight and began to cut her food, "Thank you, Tessa."

She scoffed and shrugged, "Oh it's only water-"

"-I was referring to last night."

The forkful of egg she was lifting froze halfway to her mouth as she paused; her face flushing a little. "Oh…right…" she couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from turning up in an uncontrollable grin, "…you don't need to thank me, Optimus."

His hand moved from around her shoulders and traced the hair at the nape of her neck, Tessa's arms tingling from the pleasant contact, "I don't _need_ to Tessa, but I am. I have never…experienced anything like that before. Humans seem so much more…natural…in such a state. I've never seen you…behave like that before. Is it unusual that it was – I…I cannot think of another word to describe it, but it was – _you _were...sexy…?"

A hacking, choking noise sounded from Tess as she tried to swallow her food without _dying_ at his words. She turned to him with an expression of complete surprise and a lobster red face. To her surprise, he only looked at her from the corner of his eye as he took a sip of his water; clearly unembarrassed in his statement to her. This fact in and of itself was interesting, because although Optimus was shy and awkward when it came to the discussion of sex itself, he was never ashamed to say how _she_ looked, or name him feel.

"Chief! Did you just – _what_ did you just say?"

"What?" he echoed innocently, the sides of his mouth turning up just a tiny fraction; making Tessa see the teasing glint in his eyes.

With an incredibly playful giggle she looped her right arm through his and kissed his shoulder before continuing to eat her breakfast; trying to ignore her rosy face. She quietly chewed the last chunk of her bacon and eggs as she turned to him with a sly smile. She wanted to die of embarrassment from what she was about to say, but if _Optimus Prime_ had the gall to make a sex-funny, then by damn it so did _she_!

"You know what's the most fun about being at…this level of relationship with _you_, Chief?"

He looked at her curiously, his expression expectant and interested as he observed her Cheshire grin, "Mm?"

Tess swallowed an embarrassed sound; her food going with it, "All the experimenting we'll get to do. You have _three_ forms that I get to…play around with…" her fingers gently slid down the length of his arm, tickling the fine hairs on the skin before she leaned over and trapped his earlobe between her lips, "…_right_ Optimus…?"

He couldn't stop an amused rumble from rolling up his chest as he raised a hand to grip her face and turned his head to trap her in a kiss; able to taste the rich flavour of her breakfast on her tongue; a foreign taste that briefly made him wish the Holoforms' actually ate, because humans seemed to savour tastes so intensely. He gave an amused growl against her lips before quickly parting them and planting a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"And you claimed that _I_ was going to suffer from perversion?" he teased, tracing her cheek with his thumb softly.

She grinned up at him playfully, turning to take a sip of her drink, "Only when it comes to you, Chief." Tessa looked over at her microwave, checking the time before she looked at him with a relatively calmer expression, "What time do they need you back at base?"

Optimus followed her previous gaze to the time and gave a heavy sigh, turning to her and cupping her chin gently between the Holoform's thumb and forefinger before planting a brief kiss on her lips.

"Regrettably, I should probably leave now…" he exhaled heavily before continuing, "We will be pinpointing one of the Decepticon drones and tailing them; seeing if they can provide us with any leads."

Tess copied his sigh and wrapped her arms sideways around his waist on the stool, "Be _careful_ out there, alright?" She felt his own arms tighten around her before resting his chin only briefly on her head.

"I will, I promise."

Finally he released her and the two of them slid off the stools as she followed the Holoform to the door. As she stepped out the door, she stopped the Holoform from going out into the public eye and tapped him on the nose gently before she spoke, "Let this go. I'm saying goodbye to _you_."

Obediently, he bowed his head a little, and the Holoform disappeared in a flutter of tiny sparks before Tess practically skipped down the stairs, her heart fluttering a little at being so close to the Peterbilt after their first…_intimate_ union. She tenderly placed a hand on the grill before planting a kiss on the chrome work.

"Do me a favour and tell Ratchet to collect his 'samples' for me, he'll know what you mean, okay?," she murmured quietly, so as not to draw the attention of any passers-by.

His voice carried gently through the grill with a curious tone, but he didn't question her at all; whatever she and Ratchet were planning had nothing to do with him at present, "I will."

"I love you, Optimus." She said gently before the engine rumbled to life and he began to back out of her driveway, ready to assume his role at N.E.S.T as their commander.  
>"And I love you, Tessa."<p>

She watched him drive away with a content smile and a wave until he rounded the corner at the end of her street, then she gave a happy sigh and looked down at her clothing. "Well, better go have a shower and get dressed," she murmured to herself, "those bed sheets aren't gonna wash themselves…"


	58. Papercut

**Filler chapter is filler…**

**I actually don't particularly like this one; it was a pain to write, but I needed to have a filler in between because the next chapter is probably going to be a time skip (**_**only a few months or so, nothing major yet**_**) and I didn't want to just go straight into a time skip. **

**So as a result, here's a little interaction between Optimus and his soldiers; Ratchet's Holoform even makes an appearance ;)**

**Hope you guys don't mind the filler; I really, truly **_**TRIED**_** to keep it interesting! So I'm sorry if it's boring! **

**Also, I haven't proof read this, so any problems you encounter; blame that damn illiterate Decepticon leader Megatron (**_**or Soundwave…I bet all that internet hacking makes him write in l33t sp34k hahaha**_**)**

**P.S. I would like to thank an anonymous reviewer who left only the name "A reader" when they said this:  
>"<strong>_**The only thing I didn't like was Optimus thinking he would hand out his leadership for**_

_**Tessa...I don't think such thoughts fit Optimus' character. He is the mech who**_

_**was ready to die to save Earth from Megatron in TF 1, who died to protect Sam**_

_**in TF 2. He is more than a military commander, as you call him...he is**_

_**Cybertron's rightful ruler and protector.**_**"**

**I have to admit, reading over it; I agree with you and I have changed the wording to better reflect Prime's personality (**_**I hope**_**) thank you for the feedback :)**

The drive back to N.E.S.T was a calm one for Optimus, contemplative and smooth.

He found that through no conscious effort of his own, his thoughts constantly returned to Tessa; to how much she meant to him. She had told him once before that this was normal for couples' that one often thought about the other.

He wouldn't have used the word often, so much as _constant_.

Tessa was always in his thoughts, and it felt wrong when she wasn't; like when he would be planning strategy with his soldiers, he ached to just _be_ with her. Not even in a sexual or physical sense, just her presence kept him grounded. When this war began, if someone had informed him that he would find such affection within it; he'd have not believed it for an instant.

To think that he would not only find affection, but to actually fall in _love_!

With a _human_.

The war no longer seemed so daunting now…simply because at the end of the day, there was now somebody there to share his pain; someone who did not expect him to be Prime… He had not experienced that in so long, if anything he could barely remember his time as Orion Pax; a normal Cybertronian, simply because he had been Prime for so many years…so many centuries.

It frightened him to think that should he ever be in a position where he had to choose between his cause, and his relationship with Tessa…he would be at a loss.

The concerning thought being that if he had to choose, he didn't know if he would be _able_ to. Could he really choose the war over her? Could he ever _allow_ himself to choose Tessa over his soldiers and the peace they had fought so long for?

She would never want that from him, this he was already aware of; his Tess was not so selfish. But deep down he knew that if it was needed, if it was _required_ that he sacrifice his leadership to stay with her; he would not be able to…no matter how much it pained him.

No matter how much he would want to choose her over this _wretched_ war.

As he drove, he chuckled at the thought; he could just _imagine_ how much she would object to him saying he would rather it be her, with that insistent and ordering tone she used with him when he said something she didn't like.

Primus how he loved that tone.

He was a centuries old commander, who had led countless warriors and fought more battles than he could recall with legions under his guidance; and the tiny, fleshy little human still had the gall to _scold_ him! He'd never known anything like it.

Pulling up to the base at N.E.S.T, he transformed into his bipedal mode and rolled his shoulders, just a little bit stiff from having sat in Peterbilt form all night; not that he'd minded, because it had been to stay with Tess.

Calmly and easily, he made his way across base with his usual regal air; not intending to give anything away. When he reached the Autobot hangar and stepped inside, he spotted Ratchet and Ironhide parked off to the side of the hangar, both of them in their Alt modes. Sitting at a workspace not far from the two vehicles, were both of their Holoforms.

Optimus was surprised to see the medic using his; Ratchet openly confessed to feeling 'disconnected' from his true form when he used it, so he had to wonder what he was up to.

"What are the two of you up to?" he asked as he approached, an amused tone in his voice as he regarded his soldiers as they bent over something on the workbench. Ironhide's Holoform looked up as Prime knelt down to see better, his Cybertronian blue eyes glowing with wickedly cheeky mirth.

"We might ask you the same thing," he said with a grin, "after all you stay _all night_ at Tessa's home. Something you want to share?"  
>Optimus look over at his weapons specialist and tried very hard not to display any awkwardness as he spoke. "<em>That<em>, Ironhide…" he choked, trying to retain his composure, "is none of your concern."

"Oh come off it Prime," the bulky Holoform laughed, clearly unintimidated by the leaders sheer size in comparison, "we all know you two have already come close to interfacing once already, so just confess it; did you, or didn't you?"

The leader's optics whirred violently as they shuttered in something between embarrassment and annoyance before he placed a hand to his temple in exasperation, "We did, Ironhide; but as I said, it is none of your _business_."

The specialist was clearly not bothered by Optimus' tone, he'd been accustomed to it for centuries and knew just how far he could push boundaries with him…_respectfully_ of course…

"Well, it's about fragging time. I was wondering how long you two would keep beating around the bush. Took you long enou-"

"Ironhide, be quiet…" Ratchet's Holoform grumbled from the table beside him, "I'm trying to _concentrate_."

Optimus immediately saw an opening to a more comfortable subject, trying to steer them away from enquiring about the night he spent with Tessa. That information was between her and Optimus, nobody else; it was private.

"What are you two working on?" he asked, genuinely curious as he leaned over the two Holoforms, "I thought you didn't like these, Ratchet?" he gently gestured to the human body that the medic was in, taking note of its appearance; given that even _he_ rarely saw Ratchet use it.

The form was tall and broad-shouldered, but leaner than the other Autobots; given his profession. A mop of chestnut hair was pulled into a short, loose ponytail and his strong, square jaw was densely covered in a short beard. The brown hair on both his head and his face was peppered with grey, and the Holoform would have been anywhere between 40 to 50 years of age. After all, Ratchet was no immature young sparkling, and his human rendition reflected that he was an educated man of medicine; especially with the silver, horn-rimmed glasses framing his glowing blue eyes.

He wore simple grey slacks, black shoes and a yellow t-shirt with a white lab coat over the top; the Autobots emblem stitched in red onto the pen pocket of the jacket. He gave a scoff and looked up at the Prime.

"The only reason – and I mean the _only_ reason I am in this form right now is to work on Tessa's weapon design; it's too small to try and do in bipedal mode."

Optimus' optics visibly widened before he pulled a confused expression, "I think I have seen the designs…but what are you trying to do with them?"

His two subordinates shared a look, clearly they had been _trying_ to work nicely, but clashing personalities made it clear that they had probably bickered a little before he'd arrived. Ratchet gave a heavy sigh and lifted the large scrap of metal.

"Tessa left her book here for me, and asked me to input anything important. I've been trying to create a rough prototype for her to experiment with; that's why Ironhide is here. I'm perfectly capable of _repairing_ weaponry, but I do not make them from scratch. Your pain-in-the-aft weapons specialist is better for that."

"Pain in the aft my _aft_!" Ironhide responded, rolling his eyes, "You're just upset because it makes me look more intelligent than you; which I am." His Holoform rolled his bulky shoulders cockily before taking (_practically snatching_) the wad of metal from the medic and turning to Optimus with it, "She's got a fair hold on the basics of the weaponry; but she would have needed an initial ammunition source to actually s_tart_ on the weapon."

"…What have you decided to use for ammunition then? What sort of weapon?"

Ratchet was the one that spoke this time, holding the weapon out to Optimus. In the hands of the Holoform, it was about the length of ¾'s of his arm; between the Prime's fingers however, it looked like a toothpick.

"We went with a temperature charge; after we've run a few tests and experiments with it, we should be able to use a basic plasma charger to create a chamber for temperature extremities. Tess will be able to fire blasts of either extreme heat, similar to molten Energon, or extreme cold; about the equivalent of liquid nitrogen. Ironhide though the best model of weapon for her would be a Cybertronian handheld photon cannon; we've used the same concept as one of full size, but all we've done is just made it smaller, to fit with her human size."

Optimus seemed a little bit concerned though, "It's an awfully…oversized weapon for one as small as Tessa…"

Ironhide's Holoform interjected, taking the weapon and resting it back on the table effortlessly with one hand; as though it weight nothing to him, "Ordinarily, yes…" he said matter-of-factly; Ironhide was not a scientific bot to say the least, but weaponry he _knew_, "but seeing as the ammunition chamber will be comprised of temperature compression, which is weightless, and not actual photon energy, which is heavy energy matter; Tessa will be able to carry it without much trouble. However she _will_ have to learn how to brace her stance when it fires."

"But we still need to test it first," Ratchet interjected, "When are you calling the mission brief? I'll need to bring back some samples of Decepticon matter."

Understanding suddenly crossed Optimus as he remembered Tessa's request to Ratchet, "Yes…she mentioned that to me this morning as I was leaving for base-"

Ironhide interjected with a massive grin on his Holoform's face, "So you _did_ stay the _entire _night with her!"

A frustrated rumble rolled its way up his chest as Optimus cupped his face in his palm, exasperated at Ironhide's teasing and amused tone, "Ironhide…enough."

Ironhide gave a bellowing laugh before scoffing indignantly, "Fine, be that way. I'll just ask Tessa when she comes in to work tomorrow."

"-You will _not_!" the Prime said insistently, "She is not to be harassed about this, Ironhide; do you understand?"

"Relax Prime! I'm not going to be indecent; I'll just ask her what happened. It will be funny as slag to watch her do that thing where her face changes colour! I'll be nice, I swear."

Ratchet and Ironhide both noticed that Optimus shifted a little uncomfortably at their openness about his relationship with the little mechanic, but he retained his composure. These were his soldiers and whether or not they were his friends, they still respected his position as their leader. He would not push this subject, given that Tessa was also their friend and should she so choose to divulge information to them that would be _her_ decision.

He internally smiled at the idea; she was far too private to give them that sort of detail.

Again he found his thoughts wandering back to their night, one that he would cherish for the rest of his existence; something that he had never expected to find in this war…certainly not for himself at least.

"So, have you worked out how you plan to make the ammunition work, Ratchet?"

The Holoform shrugged nonchalantly in an incredibly 'Ratchet' way before he answered, "Well, the specifics are more up Ironhide's alley, but I'm fairly certain that our method is quite sound. The blasts only need to charge before they can be fired; and since the ammunition itself is purely energy, there will be no need to carry anything to load the weapon. It should be able to fire about to or three times before it would need to be charged again; providing the tests run well."

Optimus rolled his shoulders tensely as a heavy, hissing exhale escaped him and he passed the weapon delicately back to his two soldiers.

"Ratchet, Ironhide. I…am not _comfortable_ with the idea of Tessa requiring a weapon…" he placed a finger to his temple before he continued, "…But I much prefer her having something to protect herself; should it be necessary-"

"-Which hopefully it _won't_." Ironhide said quickly, the Holoform looking up at Optimus firmly, "We're all there for her Prime. She is safe."

The Autobot leader gave another hissing sigh and placed his forehead into the whole palm of his hand as a worried noise escaped him. With an understanding, angry growl, Ironhide dismissed his Holoform and the sound of the Topkick transforming was heard from behind them. A loud, metallic _thunk_ was heard as the weapon specialist's fist collided with the back of Prime's head; not enough to harm the leader, but certainly enough to get his attention.

"_Look_ at me, Optimus!" the stout black mech snapped sharply, "None of us will let her be hurt, listen to me! She. Is. Safe."

Ratchet's Holoform interjected, looking up at the two bipedal robots with a neutral expression that was much calmer then Ironhide's as he spoke to Optimus.

"He's right Prime. We aren't going to put her in any danger. In any case there is no reason for Decepticons to have any interest in her; they know nothing about her." He said calmly, placing the weapon back onto its table and throwing a thick white cloth over it; dispensing the Holoform carelessly. Ironhide and Optimus both turned to watch the yellow Hummer transform into his robot mode as he approached the leader, clapping a hand on the taller mech's forearm, "Tessa has nothing that the Decepticon's want-"

"-She has access to _me_. What if they were to use her, Ratchet?"

The medic gave a frustrated huff before pointing at the weapon, "That's why she's making a weapon, Prime. We're not leaving her undefended. Not to mention – and I've _already_ explained this – they do not _know_ that Tessa exists! She is no more a threat to them than one of N.E.S.T's soldiers; even less so considering her lack of battle experience."  
>"Besides, Optimus," Ironhide interjected reassuringly, "Your Energon signature is guarded; they can't trace it on her. Stop <em>worrying<em>."

Relieved with the assurances that his soldiers were so confident in, he finally nodded and cleared his vocal processor as he moved towards the edge of the hangar, "…Thank you, both of you…." He gestured regally in the general direction of the Autobot conference hangar, "We'd best be on with this. Our mission today may seem insignificant, but it has the opportunity to provide us with intel on Megatron's location. I will not allow him to plan an attack against us; not like the last time…"

Ironhide gave a scoff and slapped his superior on the back; an obvious gesture of respectful friendship between the two centuries-old comrades. "Well said, Optimus. Let's go frag up some Decepticons; that should make you feel better."

The Prime chuckled and shook his head as he and his soldiers made their way from the hangar, "Ironhide, violence is never a _solution_…you know that."

Not much to his surprise, the black mech shrugged noncommittally and laughed, "Oh well, makes _me_ feel better!" Ratchet scoffed at the weapons specialist as they walked, shoving him in a manner somewhere between disgusted and amused.

"You, Ironhide, are nothing but a violent Pit-for-brains fragger with bloodlust."

The mech in question turned to the medic bot with a hollering laugh, clearly amused as they exited the area, "Thanks; that is something I consider a compliment!"

Optimus could not refrain a chuckle from rumbling up his chest chamber as he clamped a hand over his eyes as his mouth plates twitched up in amusement.

It was going to be a long day…


	59. How You Remind Me

**Okay, so because I thought the most recently posted chapter was a little boring; I decided to keep writing so that I could pump out something decent for you guys.**

**Just some fun banter between Tessa and the Autobots that she's closest to, and setting the scene for a cute little chapter idea that I have in my head ;)**

**I simply love the way Tessa and Ironhide interact, it reminds me so much of her and Aaron. Anyhow guys, I hope you enjoy it!**

**2 Chapters in one night, just because I love you guys!**

Three months.

Three wonderful and blissfully _uneventful_ months passed them over at N.E.S.T headquarters.

Tessa, under the careful and often stern guidance of Ratchet and Ironhide, had managed to comprehend and perfect her designs of what the weapons specialist had dubbed the 'Temperature Blaster' and had been able to create a relatively successful prototype. Their current main concern with the weapon was keeping the pressure chamber from overheating in her grasp; given that her fleshy skin was delicate to its effects.

It was still a work in progress and would probably take some months more to completely get it right.

Optimus had been leading missions and searches for stray Decepticon rogues that could assist them in Megatron's whereabouts. But it seemed that the enemy leader was not in direct contact with his lower troops, which was leading Optimus to believe that any orders he was giving were probably being given further down his chain of command; possibly Starscream or Soundwave.

Either way, Megatron was clearly keeping himself out of the action for some reason, and this worried him.

The progression in Optimus and Tessa's relationship was now hardly a secret on base; not that they had tried to hide it, but they hadn't exactly screamed it to the world either. It was evident in the little gestures, the discreet motion where she would touch his feet as she passed on her way to her next work task, or the way Optimus would trace a hand over her hair when she stood on the raised walkways to talk to Epps and Lennox; in the way Tessa would spend her lunch hour perched on his shoulder with a sandwich and a packet of Skittles while he went about his business as usual.

There were no barriers between the two; and everyone could see it.

Not to mention that they had unofficially made Saturday night their allotted time to be together, and more often than not Optimus would end up staying the night at her home. Sometimes they would have sex, sometimes not; in fact many nights they would just drive for hours until night long fell and then they would end up sleeping in Tessa's driveway with her nestled in his cabin between the Holoform and the seats of the truck. They didn't _need_ constant sexual, physical intimacy to be close; and it was something that Tessa had not had for a long time.

Everyone had also noticed that she was not afraid to express affection in his true forms; in fact it seemed as though she preferred it. Whether it be the complete, tender kisses on the metal of his lip, or something as simple as tracing the Cybertronian markings on his face.

They were not officially Sparkmates, the Autobots could tell that much; but it didn't seem to matter at present. Optimus knew that Sparkbonding was an intense and permanent process, and considering how long it had taken for he and Tessa to even have their first kiss; he was in no hurry to raise the subject to her. Humans took much more time and thought in things like that, whereas for Cybertronians it was intense and immediate; an ingrown instinct that permitted them to feel much more deeply and quickly than a human.

In any case, it was not even certain if Tessa _could_ Sparkbond; after all she was human. Who was to say that it would even have any effect on her at all? Regardless, Optimus had not yet mentioned it to her; deciding to simply let their relationship follow its course as it chose.

Already he had spent time with Tessa and her relatives for a few 'family games' nights (_much to the ecstatic delight of Lucy_) given his title as her respective 'boyfriend' as humans called it. He still found it incredibly amusing and endearing that she hated hearing him addressed as a boy, saying that she found it 'unfitting' for him; but in all honesty he didn't mind.

It meant being a part of her world, and that was all that mattered to him.

The summer had converted into autumn, and with the weather starting to cool down; Tessa's working days were much more pleasant. She was currently out on the tarmac with Ratchet, Ironhide, Sideswipe and Optimus, watching the dusk sunset over the desert that surrounded the base; sitting comfortably on the concrete between Prime and Sideswipe while she babbled on about the up and coming Halloween holiday.

"You guys are going to take me trick-or-treating this year, right?" she asked expectantly, looking up at Sideswipe with a happy grin plastered on her face. The silver bot looked down at her quizzically, clearly not understanding her question.

"What the slag is _trick-or-treating_?" he asked loudly, leaning back comfortably on his massive hands to look up at the darkening sky. A few stray stars had begun to blink to life on the darkening canvas.

Tessa shivered a little against a breeze that rolled across the base, shuffling a little closer to Optimus' leg; a motion which made the leader reach down and gently cup a hand around her fondly as she spoke to Sideswipe.

"For Halloween!" she exclaimed, "It's a tradition that on the 31st of October every year, you get to dress up in costume and go around to people's houses. You knock on the door and say 'trick-or-treat' and they have to either give you candy, or do some sort of trick for you."

"Sounds pretty stupid if you ask me…" Ironhide scoffed. Tessa stuck out her tongue at him; knowing that even in the fading light, he would still be able to see her.

"Only because _you're_ stupid, old man! Anyway, sometimes if people don't have anything for trick-or-treaters; the really insolent kids will sometimes throw eggs at people's homes. I remember my brother Aaron and some of his friends egged a neighbour's house once, and my dad found out. He made _all_ of them go over there in the morning with buckets and mops, forced them to apologize and clean the entire outside of the house. I thought it was hilarious!"

She heard a chuckle from above her as Optimus pictured the scene before he spoke, "You father is a good man; he has a great sense of honour."

Tess laughed and looked up at him, "Yeah, but he has such a twisted sense of humour; I forgot to tell you that he made them clean it in their Halloween costumes!"

Ironhide, who was sitting on the other side of Sideswipe, began to roar with laughter, "_Brilliant_!" he hollered, "Your father sounds like an interesting human, to say the least. So long as he's not half as annoying as _you_!"

The little mechanic scoffed and waved a hand nonchalantly at the mech, clearly not bothering to have him bait her. Instead she smiled and looked around at them all, "But anyway…are you guys going to take me trick or treating? It's fun!"

"Isn't it supposed to be…for _children_?" Ratchet enquired casually, having been fairly quiet in the conversation before this point. Tessa flashed him a grin and wriggled out from beneath Optimus' fingers so that she could stand and talk to them all better.

"Well, _technically_ yeah…but I like it! It's so much fun! Anyhow, I'll be taking my niece Lucy with me as my excuse to dress up. You guys really should come with us!"

"That depends," Ironhide interjected, "will _I_ get to throw eggs at people's houses?"

Tessa shot him a mocking glare before she put her hands on her hips in an almost motherly fashion, "Not unless you want your teeth kicked in for setting a bad example to Lucy."

"I don't have teeth."

She opened her mouth to object, but appeared at a loss for words as she looked up at him with complete speechlessness. "You-?" her eyes suddenly narrowed in good-humoured frustration before she pointed at him, "You're such a damned _smartass_!" she snapped.

Ironhide gave her what had to be the Cybertronian equivalent to a grin, because his facial plates turned up and his eyes gleamed with mischievous humour, "I am, aren't I? It's a talent, what can I say?"  
>"Oh my <em>God<em>, you're so annoying! Shut _up_ already!" she squeaked, unable to hide a smirk in her playful tone.

"Now, now Squishy," he said scoldingly, reaching down to scoop her up in his hand and causing her to squeal in surprise. He lifted her to optic level and gently tapped a finger on her head, "what kind of brother would I be if I did what you told me to?"

She suddenly felt her heart swell at his words; Ironhide had just blatantly and outright referred to himself as her brother, something he had never _ever_ done before. Against her own devices, she felt her eyes prickle with tears; surprised by the magnitude his statement had hit her with. He noticed this and held her up a little higher.

"Are you alright, Squishy; you're leaking?" he said quickly, trying to assess if he had damaged her in anyway, holding her close so that he could inspect her.

He was startled when she outstretched both her arms and clasped herself to his face tightly as she laughed through her light tears. "You're such a _pain_!" she giggled as she held him tightly. Her fingers gently traced over the right side of his face, tenderly touching the extensive damage on his right eye as she smiled softly, "I love you 'Hide; you're the best alien brother I could ask for."

She heard his optics shutter in surprise before he cleared his audio passage awkwardly and moved her away from his face, "Watch it, if you leak all over me I'll rust." Then he gently lowered her onto his leg and briefly tapped her on the head again; something of a discreetly fond gesture between the two of them, before he cleared his throat again and looked down at her. "So, what would we have to _do_ it we went along with this Halloween gimmick of yours?" he asked gruffly.

Tess broke out into a playful grin, her previous tears drying in the corners of her eyes as they moved on to the previous topic, "Oh, I dunno…follow me around while I take a little girl begging for confectionary…stop us from getting abducted by a ghost or zombie…stuff like that."

"I'd give them five minutes before they bring you back." Sideswipe laughed, sitting forward to make eye contact with her. To his amusement, the tiny little human threw up her arms with a jokingly exasperated huff.

"What _is_ it with you guys and _picking_ on me tonight? Some family you are!" she laughed, sticking her tongue out at the bipedal Corvette before she looked over at Optimus sternly, "Optimus! You should be _defending_ your girlfriend's honour over here, you know!"

A grin split her face as Optimus raised both of his hands defensively, a smile clearly evident in his voice. "_I_ am staying out of this fight."

Tessa drew her eyebrows and formed a miffed 'O' with her mouth before she pointed at him with a laugh, "You _ass_! I'm being verbally assaulted over here; you're not going to stop it?"

He shook his head and gave what resembled a regal shrug, "Why would I put a stop to it? I find it adorable when you rile yourself up."

"You should – wait, what?" her eyes widened in sudden surprise, and all of the bots in the present company laughed at the rapid flush of red that flared up on her cheeks; a colour that only intensified as they laughed. As a result, she hunched her shoulders dejectedly and pouted at them almost childishly, "You all hate me!"

This earned another round of laughter from them as Optimus held his hand out for her to climb into; bringing her up to his face as he looked fondly at her, "You and I both know how far from fact that statement is…" he assured her gently before moving forward and planting a cumbersome, metal kiss to her head; a gesture she returned by lifting her face and pressing her mouth to the curve of his lip, enjoying the chill of it against her skin as she kissed him.

"You're just an old sap, Chief." Tess giggled quietly, cradling as much of his face as she could in her arms; feeling his fingers curling protectively around her like a safety cage, "Now tell me you guys are going to come trick-or-treating with me! And if _they_ won't," she pointed her thumb at the others with a grin, "the you have to _order_ to!"

Optimus could not refrain from laughing at her tone; so insistent and ordering that he had to as her, "Who is Prime here, Tessa; you or me?"

She put her hands on her hips and grinned up at him with mischievous eyes, "You are, but you're _my_ bitch; remember?"

Behind them, Ironhide roared with mirthful laughter and Sideswipe leaned against the black mech as the two of them went into hysterics at Prime's expense. Ratchet was a little more dignified, covering his mouth with a fist as he cleared his vocal processor; _clearly_ covering up a laugh. Optimus knew they were laughing _at_ him, but he didn't mind. Instead he let a chuckle rumble up his chest and nuzzled her softly into his face.

"Is that _so_?" he asked amusedly, feeling her press familiarly against the metal bridge of his nose with a giggle as she nodded, "Are you sure about that?" with a swift movement, he lifted his hand over his head and placed her there; right on top of his helmet.

She squealed in shock before gripping the finial on the helm, her eyes looking down at the 32 foot drop. Of course, she was never in any danger; he was not about to actually let her fall, but it was funny to hear her curse and swear at him.

She strung together a few expletives that he'd never recalled her using before he moved a finger near her, hovering it just out of her reach. "I believe you had a statement you wanted to correct?" he said teasingly; he could just _feel_ her glaring at him right now, but the opportunity was too amusing to pass up.

"Oh my God, holy shit; alright, alright! You're not a bitch; I'm _sorry_, okay? God damn it Optimus Prime, let me _down_!" she screeched.

With a victorious chuckle, he stretched his finger within her reach so that she could grab hold of it securely. Gently he placed her back in his hand and she slapped his finger, "That was an _asshole_ move you jerk; seriously, why do I put up with you?"

"His paintjob?" Ironhide offered.

"No! She likes him because he's tall!" Sideswipe said, shoving Ironhide playfully in the side with an elbow.

"Wait, I know! She sticks around because she likes the truck!" Ironhide retorted.

Tessa's attempt at a hardened gaze failed miserably when her smile cracked and she started to giggle to herself, placing her face in her palm and looking at Optimus. "Your soldiers are nuts…" she smiled gently.

He gave an amused "Mm-hm" before he reached his opposite hand up and tenderly touched the side of her face with his fingertip; ignoring Ironhide and Sideswipe who were currently being reprimanded by Ratchet informing them of how _irritating_ they were being.

"We will be there for you and Lucy, I promise." Optimus rumbled gently, pleased when she nodded and gave him a smile before looking over at Ironhide and Sideswipe as they brawled playfully.

It warmed her heart to think that these wonderful beings, these robots, were so important to her; that they were her family. Words really did not express how much they meant to her now, and the thought of their enemy out their; hiding without a trace, scared her. She couldn't bear the thought of any of them being harmed, injured; or God forbid _killed_. Tess wouldn't be able to take it. She'd lost Optimus once already, she couldn't go through something like that again; and she would do anything she could to prevent it. Suddenly feeling her chest ache with a sense of loss just imagining the situation, she wrapped her arms tightly around Optimus' finger and gave him a squeeze, looking up at him before she expressed a massive grin, trying to will away the old feelings.

"Well, Chief…" she said cheekily, "If you guys are going with Lucy and I, you're all going to need something very important."

The metallic ridge over his optics arched a little at her words, "Oh? And what might that be, Tessa?"

"Costumes!"


	60. Supernatural

**Okay, I am totally on FIRE with pumping out all these chapter! Hahaha.**

**I will confess that I've been putting in a LOT of Tessimus fluff lately, but I'll confess that I have a good reason. It's because the two of them are still in the early stages of their relationship; particularly the fact that they've only just recently progressed to the sexual stage of it.**

**Optimus in particular is still overwhelmed by the sensations of physical contact in the Holoform, and as such I would imagine him trying to attain such contact quite frequently in the beginning. Besides, the idea of OP not being able to control or understand the desire for physical contact is…kind of sexy ;)**

**Also; I would like to thank Nightbloodwolf for providing me with the inspiration for the scene outside between Optimus, Tess and Ironhide; because it was their suggestion for the whole "it's not what it looks like" moment. I thought it was hilarious.**

**Anyway, enjoy! I'm off to bed! Hahaha**

When the Autobots pulled up at Tessa's home, they noticed that it looked a great deal different than their previous visits. Pumpkins lined the porch, all of them carved with disturbing Glasgow grins, and artificial spider webs had been strewn on the little fence on the front veranda with plastic spiders in them. The sun was still clearly visible in the late afternoon sky, but Tess had told them all to come by early so that she could help them work out what they should make the Holoforms wear.

Ratchet had managed to bail out; saying that such an immature and childish tradition didn't sit well with him, but Tess understood. Dressing up in costume and going door knocking wasn't everyone's cup of tea; and Ratchet was certainly not the 'dressing up' type. Instead, she had asked Lennox and Epps if they and their kids wanted to join her and Lucy in their trick-or-treating with the bots.

Lennox had agreed to bring Annabelle along, but Epps hadn't been able to make it; considering that his children liked to trick-or-treat closer to home.

The schedule for the evening was that the Autobots would arrive first, work out what Tess was going to dress them as, then Riley and Emma would arrive with Lucy and Thomas before Lennox would get there with Annabelle. Emma and Riley had agreed to stay at Tessa's home with Thomas so that they could hand out candy to door knocking children, not to mention that Emma was the one who had Tessa's costume. The woman had a friend who was quite talented with a sewing machine, and so Tess had asked a favour for a very personal costume.

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was excited to see the Autobots' reaction to it.

Three vehicles were parked in Tessa's driveway and on her front lawn, a massive Peterbilt, the black Topkick and the sleek, silver Corvette. Their respective Holoforms were standing on her porch waiting for her to answer the door, all of them internally a little nervous as to what they should expect.

Their little mechanic wrenched open the door and stood grinning at them with a beaming expression, another jack-o-lantern in her hand ready to be put outside. "Welcome to the abyss, gentlemen…" she said darkly, swinging the lantern around with a giggle.

She was wearing a pair of old sweatpants and a ratty t-shirt, and she was covered in a strange orange pulp all over her body; several small seeds also sticking to her clothes.

Optimus reached forward curiously and touched some of the goo that was on her clothing, his Holoform pulling a confused expression. "What…is this?"

"Pumpkin pulp," she answered simply, "from carving out these things!" she lifted the jack-o-lantern with a grin and swung it around, "You have to scoop out all the guts of the pumpkin, and then you knife a face into it."

Ironhide's Holoform thumped the frame of the door excitedly, "That sounds _violent_! Can I try?"

Tess gave a laugh and gestured to the house, "Sure you can; I've still got one more left to go. Then I'll show you guys some ideas for your costumes, come on!"

They all followed her into the house; Sideswipe taking much more interest in the layout considering he'd never been inside, before she showed them to her dining room table. The setting was covered in a massive piece of plastic with the same orange pulp all over it and seeds scattered everywhere. Clearly it was messy business, and Ironhide wanted in.

Almost eagerly, he seized the pumpkin off the table and picked up the carving knife. "So, what do I do?" he asked immediately, looking at the blade with interest.

Tessa looked up at him and was unable to refrain from laughing. With his eager questioning and wide, curious eyes he looked almost…_childish_. She could never say that to him, but it was endearingly cute to see him so eager to participate in one of her human traditions; even if it was only because he got to 'kill' something.

"First of all, you don't go waving that knife around, Ironhide!" she said quickly, snatching it from his hand and placing it carefully on the table next to the orange vegetable, "I'm only _human_ remember, so if you go accidently slicing one of my arms off; it won't grow back."

"-Not to mention that Optimus would probably take _your_ arm off as punishment!" Sideswipe interjected with a laugh, jestingly nudging Optimus' Holoform in the arm with his elbow. The Prime shot Sideswipe a look before turning to Ironhide with a mockingly serious expression as he folded his arms.

"You wouldn't want to push it and find out, Ironhide." He said calmly, a growl underlying his voice a little bit which made his weapon specialist laugh with amusement.

"Now, now Prime; I won't hurt her I swear, don't jump the cannon!" he roared, playfully throwing an arm around Tessa and pulling him against his barrel chest with a gruff laugh, "So, tell me what I have to do to carve this thing a new face."

-0-0-0-0-0-

In the half an hour that it took for Ironhide to get the hang of lantern making, Tessa's dining room table ended up with mass amounts of pumpkin guts all over it; making it look like some sort of vegetable homicide massacre.

Thankfully, Ironhide had greatly enjoyed himself during the process; despite his creative, Cybertronian swearing whenever the Holoform cut himself. To Tessa's great surprise and interest, instead of dark red blood that you would expect from a human, the wounds would ooze with thick, glowing Energon. Thankfully she was able to get him to wash it down the sink without leaving any tell-tale signs of the substance for her family to find later…or her landlord.

Once he'd finished, rather violently, carving a grin into the massive, orange vegetable Tessa placed it outside with the others and gathered the plastic sheet off the table; taking it outside to the trashcan at the side of her house and shoving the whole thing in with a contented sigh. She heard the leaves on her driveway crunch behind her, and she turned to see Optimus' Holoform behind her; watching her with amused interest as he leaned against the Peterbilt in her drive.

"What?" she asked, unable to hide a smile as she thumped the lid back onto the trashcan, "What are you staring at me like that for?"

A gentle and endearing chuckle rumbled up his chest as he reached a hand for her, causing her to walk a few steps towards him before he cupped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, "You are beautiful." He said calmly, his eyes completely serious and level.

His words made Tessa laugh and give him a scoff, "Chief, I dunno if you can see properly, but my hair is full of pumpkin seeds and I'm covering in vegetable guts. Not exactly the most attractive look I've ever pulled-"

He cut her off with his lips on her own, sealing away her protests in a kiss. She could feel him smiling against her mouth as he brought a hand up to the nape of her neck; playing with the ponytail that was located there. He'd _definitely_ gotten better with kissing; in fact it was now just as likely that he would instigate a kiss as Tessa instigating. She couldn't say that she minded this new, playful confidence that he showed to her; only to her. It was wonderful to see him becoming comfortable with customs of hers; even if she did prefer him in his true form.

"Chief," she giggled against his lips, feeling his free hand drop to rest comfortably on her hip as he sealed her words with his mouth; forcing her to smile and attempt to separate their lips again, "Everyone is still waiting in the house-"

"-Then let them wait." He rumbled deeply, pulling her against him firmly and cupping her chin in his fingers; merging his mouth with her as he gave a chuckle through his nose. His kisses were deep, languid and completely unhurried; as though they had all the time in the world. His hand trailed gently from her chin, over her throat and onto her shoulder, fingers just slightly tucking underneath the neck of her shirt to rest on her collarbone. Turning her ever so gently, she eventually felt her back pressed against the door of the Peterbilt; the metal cold from the late afternoon autumn breeze. She gasped as the chilled surface touched her bare arms, causing him to take advantage of the gesture by trapping her lower lip between the Holoform's teeth.

"Mmph!" she squeaked, lifting her hands to reciprocate by trapping his face between them; twining her fingers into that mop of deliciously silken hair, "That's _cheating_!"

In response, he teasingly ran his ice-cold fingers up the back of her shirt, tracing her spine and making her arch against him in an attempt to get away from the temperature. Retaliating, Tess dragged her nails along the pressure points on his scalp, feeling his muscles immediately slack in pleasure from it. She was grateful for the massage lectures her mother had given her as a teenager, simply for the fact that they _worked_ on Optimus. With an amused laugh through his nose, she felt him lower his right hand to her thigh and lifted her up while pressing her closer against the back of the Peterbilt; propping her up between himself and…well…_himself_!

With only one hand supporting her, it was a casual display of strength that would have left her a little weak at the knees; had she been actually _standing _right now. Dipping her head to kiss him again, she kept one hand in his hair and the other hand fisted into his shirt, determined that if he wouldn't let go, neither would she. Playful affection like this was not uncommon between the two of them, but generally it occurred when Optimus had a lot on his mind; he enjoyed the distraction.

Tessa didn't mind being his excuse to take his mind off all the planning and missions; especially now that the Autobots had started to get involved in the conflicts of their human allies. Personally she'd never been a fan of politics, and she had _no_ doubt that the conflicts were political; humans were rarely capable of anything else. Her thoughts were brought back to earth as she felt his hand that was on her thigh start to trace tender, innocent circles on her skin through the fabric. She gave a gasp before a girlish little giggle escaped her as her fingers tightened into his hair firmly, pulling him closer for warmth from the breeze.

"Mm…Optimus…" she murmured, a little more reluctant in her protests this time, "We should – Mmph! - We should go – inside, remember?"

She felt him grumble a protest before he pressed her more firmly against the door of the Peterbilt as his lips enveloped hers insistently, "….in a minute. Just a little while longe-"

"-So _this_ is what you two get up to when you leave base! I _knew_ it!"

The unsuspecting lovers separated their lips with a noisy smack and quickly turned to see Ironhide's Holoform standing on Tessa's driveway with his arms crossed and a cheeky, knowing sneer on his face. It was only then that the little mechanic realized the compromising position that she and Optimus were in. She was pressed with her back flush against the Peterbilt's passenger side door with her legs wrapped tightly over Optimus' hips, one of his hands riding underneath the back of her shirt while the other clutched at her thigh. She saw Ironhide's Holoform raise an eyebrow quizzically, making her blaze red with sudden embarrassment.

"It – this – Ironhide this is _not_ what it looks like! I swear!" she spluttered worriedly, "It's not; really!"

Ironhide scoffed and waved a hand nonchalantly, "I don't care," he laughed, "I don't even want to _know_."

"It's not what it looks like!" she cried desperately, turning to the Autobot leader who _still_ had her pressed against the truck, "Chief! _Tell_ him!"

Optimus looked at Ironhide, then at Tessa and then back to Ironhide again before an almost uncharacteristic smirk crossed his features; looking back at Tess. To her surprise, he leaned forward and pressing deep, completely unembarrassedly languid kiss against her jugular before pulling away casually and letting her slide down to the ground and put her feet on the concrete. Clearing his throat in a rather dignified manner, Optimus gave Tess a smirk as she looked desperately to Ironhide; her cheeks flaming from her predicament. Clearly Optimus was not embarrassed in the slightest; but _she_ was!

Ironhide shot her a sceptical look with a gruff laugh as he uncrossed his arms and shook his head amusedly, "Is that _so_, Tess?" he laughed, gesturing to the two of them with a smirk, "Whatever you say…I'll just…leave you two to come inside later."

With a shrug and another laugh, he turned on his heel and went back into the house; leaving the two of them alone once more. Tessa felt flushed and out of breath, half from embarrassment and half from the intensity of their lip-locking session.

All of a sudden, she hung her mouth open and poked the Prime in the chest with an almost angry expression. "You!" she hissed, "Why didn't you bail me out just now? Ironhide probably thought that we were trying to…to…_you know_! And if – _AH_!"

In a flash that she could hardly see, Optimus had rushed her and had her pinned against the side of the truck once more, his left hand gripping her wrists and holding them firmly above her head. His lips hovered over hers tentatively before he gave her a loving smile and spoke; his breath tickling her lips seductively.

"I do not _care_ what Ironhide thinks." He murmured gently before he planted a playful kiss onto her collarbone, his hands still pinning her wrists gently as she squirmed with a giggle against him.

"_Optimus_!" she squealed, pulling her hands from his loose grip to place them on his shoulders; still not entirely willing to push him away. However as much as she would have _loved_ to stay out there with him, with nothing to do but kiss all of their thoughts and stresses away, she had the rest of the Autobots in her house and she _still_ needed to help them come up with something to wear for the Halloween tradition.

Just the thought of alien warrior refugees going through her neighbourhood with two small girls and a childish mechanic crying "trick-or-treat" at every door made her giggle. Gently planting her lips on Optimus' forehead, she cupped his face into her hands and smiled at him.

"Chief…as wonderful – as _wonderful_ – as it would be to stay out here with you…we still have a lot of things to get done before Emma and Riley get here, and Lennox!"

He gave an amused sigh and nodded, "Alright, fine; another time then."

There was a long moment of silence while she waited for him to lower her, but to her surprise and amusement he didn't move a muscle; not an inch; He just stayed where he was, watching her with those intense blue eyes of his.

"Uh…Optimus?"

"Mm?"

She smirked at him, "You…going to let me down now?"

"…..fine."

Gently he lowered her back from the side of the truck, letting his hands linger a little longer than necessary on her hips as her feet touched the ground. "Thanks." She smiled gently as she smoothed out her dirty, ratty shirt before smoothing her ruffled ponytail.

"Hm."

The shortness of his tone caused her to look up at him, and she noticed that his eyes were forming a sideways glance at nothing in particular and his arms were crossed slightly as he did so. Tessa found herself having to restrain herself from laughing at the childishness he seemed to be unknowingly exuding. After all, Optimus Prime was not an immature or petulant person, in any part of his personality, but seeing him…almost _sulking_ was just too _adorable_!

"Optimus…" she said with an almost teasing tone, "…are you…pouting?"

He shook his head and uncrossed his arms, keeping his arms rigid at his sides, "I hardly think so Tess. I do _not_ do such a thing."

She scoffed and gave a laugh, reaching up to press his face into her hands; planting a kiss on the tip of his nose, "Aww, Chief; you're so damn _adorable_, you know that?"

She felt the tension in his shoulders loosen a little before she moved a hand to the back of his neck, unable to resist planting a languid kiss against his lips before she managed to separate herself from him; despite how much she liked having him so close.

"Okay, Optimus; let's go back inside. I need to find something for you guys to dress up as, remember? Not to mention that I have to go have a shower and get _my_ costume of Emma." she said, holding onto his hand as she led him from the driveway; dragging her fingers affectionately over the grill of the truck as they departed.

"You already have a costume?" he asked curiously as they climbed the stairs towards her front door, still not having let go of her hand.

Playfully, Tessa shoved into him with her shoulder and giggled cheekily before looking up at him with a grin.

"Now _that_," she said mirthfully, "is a surprise you'll just have to _wait_ for."


	61. Restless

**YAY! Another chapter! Bedtime for me now that this is up hahaha.**

**Would like to thank bee-roxs98 for the suggestion of Optimus' costume, considering that she was the only one who made a suggestion XD**

**I have images of Ironhide's and Sideswipe's costumes, as well as Lucy's. Unfortunately I don't have an image for Optimus' because his costume came out of my mind; so y'all are just gonna have to imagine that one.**

**Just copy the links and take away the spaces.**

**Lucy: www . ourbigearth . com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/craftrobotmain1 . png**

**Sideswipe: th04 . deviantart . com/images3/300W/i/2004/10/d/0/Pirate . jpg**

**Ironhide: www . wondercostumes . com/imgzoom/sexy-fireman-costume-65571 . jpg**

**Needless to say, I think 'Hide would make a DAMNED sexy fireman ;)**

In an attempt to save herself some embarrassment, she didn't mention a word to Ironhide about what happened outside; though his snicker as they entered had certainly been enough to make her blush anyway.

Instead, she'd showered and changed into a pair of clean tracksuit pants and a t-shirt to lounge around in before she went into her bedroom and pulled out her prehistoric laptop; thumping the colossal beast onto the table with a loud bang.

"What in the name of pit is _that_?" the weapons specialist gawked, appearing appalled by the ancientness of the technology. Tessa shot him a look before patting the machine resentfully.

"This is Old Faithful… I've had it for years; I just…never really got around to affording a new one…" she shrugged nonchalantly and opened the computer, pulling up a Google window and clicking on images, "Anyway…I need to think what costumes would suit you guys…any idea?"

Tess looked up from her dining room chair to the three Holoforms that were stationed around her. Sideswipe was to her left, Ironhide on her right and Optimus standing behind her; seeing as he was the tallest. They all looked at each other with strangely perplexed expression, unfamiliar with what classed for a human 'dress up' standard.

Finally Sideswipe spoke up.

"What about those things that humans are always talking about in their horror movies, the things that eat brains?"

"Oh; you mean zombies, right?" she asked, typing the word into the search and coming up with some horrifically gory images. Excitedly, Sideswipe pointed at the screen.

"Yeah those things; they look disgusting! They'd be cool to use, right?"

Tess chewed her lip apprehensively, "Yeah…but…"

The silver haired Holoform looked down at her confusedly, "What's wrong? Are they not right?"

She shrugged worriedly, "Yeah, they'd be _awesome_, believe me; but you have to remember that there are two little kids going tonight…I don't want anything _excessively_ scary to them, you know? They're only little!" Sideswipe nodded and scratched the back of his neck in contemplation for a moment, before Tessa perked up; having seemingly been hit with inspiration, "I know! What about a pirate?"

Quickly typing in the search, she came up with a whole list of pictures for Sideswipe to look at. She gave him control of the computer, letting him scroll through the pictures; a thoughtful expression on his face. After a few moments of searching, he stopped on one in particular. It was actually a painting of a blonde pirate sitting on the side of a ship with a dazzling smile and his leg up on a barrel; Sideswipe's face immediately lit up with glee.

"This one!" he exclaimed happily, "This one looks cool, I'm using that!"

Before she could reply static started to gather in the air behind her; making her hair start to frizz in that familiar way before she turned to see Sideswipe perform a full 360 degree turn.

He was dressed in a crisp, white shirt, a pair of brown trousers tuck into scuffed leather boots, matching leather gloves and a patterned neck cloth around his throat. Two swords were rested in sheaths at his hip and his forehead was covered by a black bandana. From what Tess could gather, the swords looked _real_…but she suspected that like everything else on the Holoform, it would probably disappear if he separate contact from them.

"I _like_ Halloween!" Sideswipe said victoriously, "I bet the human femmes will _love_ this."

Tessa scoffed at his jest, "I'm sure they will Sides; but does it really matter? I wouldn't have thought human girls would interest you!"

The Holoform gave a scoff and pointed his thumb at the Prime, "That's what I would've said about Optimus a year ago. If he can do it, why can't I?"

She gave an embarrassed laugh and tried not to let the red on her cheeks become too rampant, "Touché," she laughed, "You have a point."

Then Tess shifted her attention to Ironhide and instead of asking him what costume he wanted, she grinned up at him. In return, his massive Holoform raised an eyebrow at her, "What?"

Her grin broadened a little bit, "I have the _perfect_ costume idea for you," she said excitedly, "You're going to be a fire fighter!" Typing in her search bar, she brought up a file photo from a Halloween costume website and showed it to Ironhide; her grin not lowering for a second as she spoke again, "Shows off all those muscles that you're seemingly so proud of!"

She was right of course, the costume consisted of black pants and a black open jacket, both of them patterned with the reflective stripes that firemen wore; and a yellow fire hat was tucked under the model's arm. She heard Ironhide just smirk through his nose at her comment, not saying a single word as the static began to cling to her hair; he was changing the Holoform's appearance without any word or objection.

When he was done, the mechanic slapped him on the arm and gave a wolf whistle at him and Sideswipe, laughing giddily at them before turning behind her to face Optimus. "_You_, Chief…" she said cheekily, pulling herself onto her knees on the chair and leaning over the back to plant a chaste kiss on his lips, "you're going to be a cowboy."

Before she could back away again, he quickly took her face in his hands and returned her kiss by planting one of his own on her forehead, then gently releasing her with a smile, "I have complete faith in your decision."

She ended up getting him to dress in a long-sleeved, blue plaid shirt, a pair of faded denim jeans which were tucked into classy looking brown leather cowboy boots; the entire thing topped off with a beige cowboy hat that had a braided band of brown leather around the top. The little mechanic couldn't help the broad grin from crossing her features, especially when he caught her eye and decided to casually cock the brim of the hat with his thumb; as though he didn't even notice her staring.

He looked _sexy_.

She looked around at all of them and clapped her hands excitedly, "You guys look _amazing_, seriously! I'm so glad you agreed to come along tonight!"

Suddenly there was a sharp knock at the front door, and the giddy little mechanic climbed down from her chair to answer it. As she padded barefoot down the hall and into the foyer, she wrenched the stuck door open and broke into an even _bigger_ smile when she saw Riley, a very festively dressed Lucy, and Emma with little Thomas dressed up in her arms.

"Aunt Tessie!" Lucy cried, flinging her arms around Tessa's leg with her usual boundless energy, "It's Halloween!"

She laughed in response as she gestured for them to come inside, "I know Luce! What did you dress up as this year?"

The little girl pulled a miffed face as they entered the dining room, apparently annoyed that Tess hadn't been able to see her obvious costume; not realizing that her aunty had only been pretending that she didn't notice. "Silly Aunt Tessie!" she exclaimed, her voice drawing the attention of the autobots' Holoforms as she placed her hands on her hips in an almost heroic pose, "I'm a superhero _robot_!"

Tess had to admit, both the children's costume was incredibly cute. Thomas was rugged up in a pudgy pumpkin costume and Emma had dressed Lucy in a pair of plain black leggings and a black t-shirt. Over the top was what seemed to be a simple cardboard box that had been painted silver; they had cleverly glued beads and lid caps onto it to act as dials and drawn 'metal sheeting' in black marker. Cardboard cylinders, also in silver, acted as her arm bracers, and Emma had wrapped tin-foil around the girl's shoes. Tess had to stop from laughing at the irony of the fact that Lucy would, in fact, be trick-or-treating tonight _with_ actual robots; without her knowledge of course.

"I _like_ that costume!" Sideswipe exclaimed, nudging Ironhide playfully, "_We_ should have dressed up as robots!"

Before the weapons specialist could reply, Optimus was the one who spoke up, addressing the little girl with what Tess could have _sworn_ was a proud smile. "You look very heroic, Lucy."

As if only just noticing that there were other people in the room, the child gave a squeak and ran forward with a happy smile, "Uncle Octopus!" she squealed, turning her boundless energy onto the Prime and trapping his legs in her arms excitedly.

It still astounded Tessa just how quickly Lucy had taken to him; he had very quickly become one of her favourite people in the world, in fact if she ever visited her aunty and Optimus wasn't there, she would ask about him without fail. Then again the little girl was much like Tess in the sense that she gave everyone the benefit of the doubt; no matter what.

With a fond smile, Optimus placed a palm onto her head, "It's good to see you well, Lucy." The Prime said gently before looking up at her parents, "Hello Riley, Emma." He turned slightly and gestured to his subordinates with a professional and 'military' manner, "I'd like to introduce you to two of my soldiers; friends of Tessa's. They will be joining us tonight. This is one of our high-speed combatants; he goes by his given codename: Sideswipe."

The pirate-clad Holoform of said Corvette moved forward; evidently not used to _walking_ rather than gliding, before he outstretched a hand to Riley and Emma to shake each of theirs in greeting. "Nice to finally meet you all, Tess has told us a lot about you; especially _you_ Lucy." He dropped down onto one knee in front of her and smile brightly; however his face fell when he realized that she was staring at him in wonder, "Something wrong?"

Her light, cappuccino coloured skin was stark against his Holoform's own as she unabashedly pressed a finger to his cheekbone before she smiled broadly, "You have glowy eyes! Just like Uncle Optimus! _And_ a silly name! "

Sideswipe chuckled at her good-naturedly, "You bet kid." Clearing his throat, he stood up straight and turned to Optimus, "Sorry Prime, you were saying?"

Optimus made a gesture as though to say it was no trouble before continuing his introductions, "This is my weapons specialist, codename is Ironhide."

Funnily enough, the reaction to Ironhide stepping forward to shake hands was a little different to Sideswipe. Riley took a visible step back before he clasped his hand into Ironhide's and Tess noticed him watching the burly Autobot apprehensively for a moment before he spoke.

"Aaron told me about you; got to admit, I didn't believe him when he said you were a walking brick wall…if you don't mind my saying so…?" he said, sounding a little cautious in his tone. His reaction made sense, of course; Riley had not met Ironhide before and the mech's Holoform was not exactly what you could call _little_. The weapon specialist shook his head and raised a hand; rather _politely_ Tess realized.

"Not at all," he said gruffly, his accent clearly audible, "it's fun seeing people react to it."

Tess decided to try and cut in; hoping to smooth over any concerns or worries that Emma and Riley may still harbour about the massive man, "Ironhide apparently takes it upon himself to be my bodyguard; he's perfect for it as you can probably guess."

"-Bodyguard?" Emma said worriedly, "What do you need a _bodyguard_ for?"

"She doesn't." Sideswipe cut in quickly, saving Tessa from spluttering her terribly constructible lies in her attempt to try and prevent any N.E.S.T secrets from getting out, "He just likes the excuse to annoy her!"

Emma broke out in a laugh before covering her mouth embarrassedly, looking at her husband amusedly, "Sounds like Aaron, doesn't he?"

Riley gave a chuckle, the tension clearly starting to ease now that he was starting to trust the frighteningly scary new male, "I'll say. You sure he's not your twin uh…Ironhide?" the name sounded foreign on his tongue; evidently he was not used to using such odd names for a person.

_If only they knew_, Tess thought amusedly. She tapped Lucy on the head and smiled broadly at the child, "So, baby girl; you ready to go and get some candy?"

The girl pulled a confused face, her head cocking to the side and making her brown curls flop over one shoulder, "But…Aunt Tessie!" she said seriously, almost in a scolding manner as she straightened up and put her hands precociously on her hips, "You don't even have your c_ostume_ on!"

Tess could have slapped herself for her stupidity, laughing as she looked down at her baggy house clothes and turning to Emma with a grin, "Oops. That reminds me, how did you and your friend go with that costume I paid for?"

She noticed the woman shift a little bit worriedly as she picked up a large paper bag from where she'd set it on the floor, "It looks great; but when we were making it I…_may_ have started talking to her about what a gorgeous figure you have and…well…"

Tess didn't like the sound of where this was going…

"And what…? What does that have to do with…with what I asked for with the costume?"

"Well, you see…Since we _had_ all your measurements – we…my friend Lori and I may have taken some...creative _liberties_ with the final piece…"

"-_What_-?"

Emma cut in, putting her hand on Tessa shoulder with a hopeful and bright smile, "It's alright, it's still going to look amazing I promise! It's still what you asked for…just a little more…fashionable. I even stopped off to get…the accessories."

Yeah, Tess _definitely_ wasn't liking where this was heading. A sinking feeling had occurred in her gut simply from the tone in Emma's voice; because the mechanic's sister-in-law knew exactly what Tessa was like when it came to clothes. The costume she'd asked for had already been a little out of her comfort zone in the first place, and if there had been serious changes made to the costume…then she was a little concerned.

"Em…what exactly did you guys…change?"

A nervous gesture brushed off Tessa's question, but Emma look guilty as sin with that big massive smile on her face that she just couldn't seem to hide, "Nothing that's going to affect the impact of the costume, I swear. It anything, it will be better than the one you asked for."

"…Emma-" she started warningly.

She was interrupted by the Cherokee woman shoving the bag into her hands in an almost hurried manner, "It's fine, it's fine; just hurry and go put it on! You're wasting good trick-or-treat time standing around here arguing with me! Right Lucy?"

Her daughter jumped excitedly and shoved Tessa towards her room eagerly as she agreed with her mother, "Yeah, Tessie! Hurry up, I want candy!"

The little female looked over at the Autobots pleadingly, but found she would get no help from them. Optimus, who was internally _very_ interested to see her costume, was sitting calmly at her dining room table with an amused expression etched into his features. Ironhide gave her a noncommittal 'don't-look-at-me' shrug while Sideswipe leaned against her kitchen bench, shaking with laughter at her expense.

In a last ditch effort to get answers, she turned and gave her brother the 'if-you-don't-tell-me-I'll-kill-you" death glare she used to use on him when they were children, "Riley?" she said through fearfully gritted teeth, "What's going on?"

He looked over at Emma and the two shared what seemed to be a very private joke before he shook his head, "Nope. Sorry Tessie but you'll just have to go and get changed…Time's a ticking."

A defeated groan escaped her before she finally allowed her overly-excited niece to push her into her room and run off into the dining area to talk to Optimus about her costume. Tessa quietly shut the door behind her and looked at the paper bag in her hand in something between apprehension and scorn. She ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to try and wind down her worry, pulling the ponytail out and heading over to her chest of drawers; observing herself in the mirror.

"Alright…" she exhaled heavily, "…let's see what we've got."

Plucking up her courage, she took in a deep breath…and reached her hand into the massive paper bag.

**There is also and image for Tessa's costume…but y'all don't get to see THAT one until next time hehehehe. GOSH I'm evil.**


	62. Kryptonite

**Okay guys! HALLOWEEN IS HERE! Well, for the Autobots anyway…we've already HAD Halloween hahaha.**

**As promised, here is the image to Tessa's costume; which her DEAR sister-in-law decided to make instead of the one that she asked for ;) As usual, just copy and paste the link and take away the spaces :)**

**s6 . thisnext . com/media/largest_dimension/262C8D00 . jpg**

**Also, in this chapter Optimus is the one who discovers a brief admirer (**_**an idea inspired by something Lunar Mist told me about boys dropping their numbers in trick-or-treat bags**_**) because I figured it's about time someone gave Tessa a reason to be jealous hehehe. The next chapter I will be working on tomorrow (**_**I have no work tomorrow 'cause it's SUNDAY! YAAAY!**_**) so there hopefully won't be too long a wait after the end of this one…**

**As always my wonderful, WONDERFUL readers; reviews will be loved, adored and cherished!**

She wanted to die.

Right now.

For the earth to open up, swallow her and make it like she had never exists.

Looking at herself in the full length mirror behind her door, Tessa shifted uncomfortably and tried to tug the top half of the costume down.

One piece; she'd asked for them to make it a _one piece_ costume, and yet here she was standing with her midriff flashing; her stomach exposed for all to see. She didn't even _swim_ in clothes this revealing! A cop, she'd wanted a sexy, _one_ piece police officer dress, one that she'd asked to stop at her knees.

Lori and Emma's…creative liberties…had resulted in this two-part monstrosity; the shirt stopping just under her ribs and the skirt stationed at the upper part of her thighs. She was lucky the damned thing covered her ass.

She could've killed Emma right about now; she could've _killed_ her!

Her sister-in-law had put all of the accessories into the bag; a police hat, a plastic handgun, a pair of _authentic_ handcuffs, and a set of fishnet stockings that she would ABSOLUTELY not be wearing. Thankfully, the shoes that Emma had given her were a pair of black combat boots; given that she knew Tessa would be completely unbalanced in anything with heels.

But the modesty of the outfit stopped there.

She actually jumped when she heard a knocking at the front door down the hall, freezing up in a panic. That mean that Lennox and Annabelle were probably there, and she wasn't yet ready to face any of them; not dressed like this! Taking a deep breath, Tessa inched forward a little and stuck her head out her bedroom door nervously, calling down the hall to Optimus.

"Chief!" she said loudly, "Could you get the door? It'll be Lennox and Annabelle."

"Of course." She heard him reply before she stuck her head back into her room and shut the door quietly behind her. She was dressed and ready, but she was trying to stall.

Pacing back and forth, she ran her hands nervously through her hair and glared at the police hat sitting on her dresser with disdain. A sudden knock on her bedroom door caused her to startle a little and duck behind the door as it opened a crack.

"Tess?" came Emma's voice; clearly grinning judging by her tone, "You dressed?"

"….I _hate_ you!" Tess hissed, thumping the door as Emma laughed, pushing her way in.

"Oh no you don't, let me see…" she scoffed as she slunk easily through the gap in the door before shutting it and looking behind it to see Tessa pressed to the wall with a look of terror, "Wow, Tessie…No seriously, _wow_! God, Optimus isn't going to know what hit him! You have to show them-"

"-Oh no! No, no, no, no, no!" Tess exclaimed quickly, waving her hands about in front of her nervously, "I didn't want to be dressed like _this_; I-I'm going to try and find another costume!"

Emma laughed and picked up the hat from the dresser before putting it on Tessa's head and grabbing her firmly by the arm, "Sorry sweety, but you just look far too stunning to let this go to waste. You're going out there. Now."

"Wait – but-!"

Her sister-in-law ignored the little mechanic's protests and dragged her down the hall, her face plastered into a proud grin as she led her into the dining room. "Here she is; sorry it took so long."

"T-Tessa?"

Oh God that was Optimus' voice! She didn't want to see his face; she didn't want to _see his face!_ Emma nudged her roughly and gave a laugh at the poor girl's mortification. Then Tess heard Lennox give a chuckle.

"Looks really great Tess, though granted; it's not something I would've thought you'd wear!" he laughed.

Jumping to her own defence, she raised her head and looked right at Lennox as she pointed to Emma, who did nothing but grin guiltily at her relative's misfortune. "It isn't! It was _her_ idea; they changed the design without telling me!"

At this, Lennox looked at Emma and laughed, "Sorry Tess, but that's funny!"

Feeling her face turning scarlet, she clutched the arm of Emma's shirt and buried her face into the sleeve, trying to hide behind her. This caused the entire company of humans and Autobots alike to erupt in good-natured laughter; and Tessa felt her chest swell at how happy they sounded, even if it was at her expense. A gentle touch on her arm made her look up, and it took her all of two seconds to realize that it was Optimus; his eyes flickering over her costume before returning respectfully to hers, taking her hand from Emma's sleeve and guiding her into an embrace.

She felt the warmth of him envelop her, shielding her from her embarrassment and discomfort as he squeezed her tightly. He knew about her prudency in regard to showing her skin, and he understood that it was a discomforting thing for her; so to reassure her he cradled her tightly and planted a kiss to her shoulder. "Magnificent…" he whispered to her; feeling her fingers tighten into the fabric of the flannel shirt at his reassurance.

Ironhide cleared his throat abruptly, causing the two of them to withdraw from the hug; however Optimus kept his arm protectively around Tessa's shoulder to act as her shield. "Now that everyone is in these things," he gestured to his own costume before continuing, "shouldn't we be going to collect candy?"

Tess laughed and gave a heavy, defeated sigh. "Alright…seeing as I'm not getting out of this rag," she shot Emma a dirty look, "Let's get this Halloween party started."

Lucy gave an excited squeal and ran for the door; causing her father to chase after the child in a panic.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Throughout the course of the night, they discovered that Lucy and Annabelle (_who was only three and was dressed up as a fairy_) quickly became inseparable. The 5-year-old simply adored the little blonde toddler, and delighted in acting silly to make her laugh. Of course at three years old, Annabelle's vocabulary was a little more limited; but Lucy seemed to have no trouble understanding her. It was also clear that Ironhide had a soft spot for the Lennox offspring; given that he'd apparently been Lennox's guardian for several months after the events in Mission City he'd obviously spent a lot of time around the child watching her grow.

Clearly Annabelle was familiar with Ironhide, because on the way out to trick-or-treating, she had pointed at the Topkick from her father's grasp and cried out "Eye-nide!" with an excited grin. Tess had then made a mental note to enquire about his softy tendencies when they got back to base.

During their trick-or-treating trip, the Topkick, Sideswipe and the Peterbilt had idled with them; staying roughly a street or two away at all times. However thankfully Lucy and Annabelle (_more so Lucy_) were the only 'out-of-the-loop" people present in the group; And Lennox had informed Riley and Emma that the vehicles were being night-watched by military personnel until they returned.

This was to stop Tessa's family from becoming suspicious when they opened the door for trick-or-treaters and seeing the vehicles missing.

Annabelle and Lucy had been smart in getting large bag for all their Halloween candy, because as it turned out; the two of them were so cute that people just kept _spoiling_ them with it. Although Tessa had a very faint suspicion that whenever they went to a house where a young female would answer, the adoration was probably more directed at the four handsomely dressed men. Lennox, who was dressed as a rather lazy Dracula with his store bought cape and fake blood in the corner of his lips, had found a girl's phone number slipped into the bag he'd collected candy with for Annabelle. Tessa had found this hilarious, but the idea of the joke had lost all humour when she saw Optimus pull a post-it note from the bag he was carrying, looking at it in a confused manner. Tessa read it over his shoulder, and her eyes widened in horror at what she saw.

**Happy Halloween handsome,**

**Let's save a horse and ride the cowboy instead ;) **

**555-6428 Call me.**

**Lindy xxx**

Tess felt her face scrunch into a glower, feeling a seething anger flash through her as she snatched the paper from Optimus' hand. He looked at her with a confused expression before noticing her rage; placing a concerned hand on her arm.

"Tessa? Are you alright?" he asked, clearly not having read the slip of paper before she'd torn it away.

Her shoulders were tense and her fingers were scrunched angrily into the paper as she uncrumpled it and showed it to him, "One of the women who answered the door when we were trick or treating…she gave you her number and left you a dirty sex note. She wants to have _sex_ with you; with _my_ Autobot! She…she…!" In her anger, she forgot to sensor herself of the term 'Autobot' but thankfully there were only a few children around; none of whom were paying any attention to them.

Her teeth were clenched and her hands were balled into fists, not in anger at Optimus; but in rage at the sheer audacity of women who presumed they could get any man they wanted. It suddenly struck Tessa that she was being _jealous_; a trait that she'd never really possessed before, but the idea of someone even thinking about stealing away her Optimus, no matter how much she knew he wouldn't allow it; it frightened and enraged her at the same time.

Suddenly she felt her police cap taken off her head and Optimus weaving his hand into her hair with his Holoform's right hand; pulling her close to him with the other on her back. He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and laughed at her reaction.

"The only human that interests me in the slightest, is you…" he mumbled into her hair, giving her a strong squeeze, which she willingly returned for comfort.

"Hey there you two," Sideswipe called from across the street, ducking in between people to approach them as they separated, "I think we should probably call it a night; look."

He pointed to the two men crossing the road to join them, and that was when Tess realized that Ironhide had been turned into a walking hammock. Lucy was draped across his massive shoulders, her legs tucked under his arms as he held her wrists at his collarbone to support her; and Annabelle was cradled into his free arm, her cheek pressed into his pectoral . She couldn't help but giggle as he approached them, gesturing to his current predicament.

"Well look at you, old man. You should open up a day-care centre!"

Ironhide glared down at the little human with a look of death, "If you mention this; I will end you."

She scoffed and waved a hand at him dismissively, "Psh, as _if_! I'm dating your boss, remember big guy? I am _invincible_ against you!"

Ironhide rolled his eyes and motioned to the direction that they had come from down the street, "We should go; they fell asleep not long ago, the both of them."

"Annie has been bugging about seeing you since she heard about tonight; it's been Eye-nide this and Eye-nide that all week!" Lennox exclaimed with a laugh, slapping the burly Holoform on the shoulder, "She misses having you around, I think."

Tess noticed the mech's eyes flicker briefly to the little girl in his arm, a fond look glinting in the briefly before he gave a rumbling laugh and responded to Lennox, "Well, perhaps I should take some time to visit soon. I assume it will be easier once she's a little older; she'll understand the situation more."

A breeze gently lifted past their group, causing the unfortunately scantily clad Tessa to nearly seize up from the chill; a full body convulsion bringing out chilled goose bumps on her bare skin, "Jesus!" she squeaked, "_This_ is why I don't like to wear crap like this!" As Sideswipe laughed at her expense, she felt a pair of arms drape around her from behind, and only when she looked down and saw the plaid flannel pattered shirt, did she realize that it was Optimus. A smile crossed her features as she spoke again; much more content now that his warmth was against her back, "You know…you're awfully _attentive_ tonight, Chief…"

She heard him chuckle before he nuzzled his nose into the nape of her tangled curls, squeezing her a little as they walked, "I admit no blame for that; because you are very…_distracting_ tonight."

She felt a scarlet blush flare across her face when she realized that he was talking about her outfit; his fingers subtly touching the exposed skin of her hips as he held her. As she continued in her steps, she heard the handcuffs on her hip jingling as they tapped the belt of her costume…her _authentic_ handcuffs. Through no intention of her own, her mind rolled into the gutter about a few things that she would be able to…accomplish…with those handcuffs. Unable to hide a grin, she ignored her blush and tried to quell the not-so-innocent thoughts that were currently trying to invade her mind; instead maintaining her stride towards her street.

It didn't take them very long to get back to Tessa's home, but they decided to keep the Autobots' car forms hidden from the driveway until Emma and Riley departed. Seeing as how Lucy was asleep, and Thomas had already done the same long before they had returned, the two of them decided not to stick around for long. Emma had given Tessa her completely 'I-don't-really-mean-it' apology for changing the costume, but insisted that it looked much better the way they had changed it, before she'd piled her children into their car and they had bid each other goodnight.

Given that it was Saturday, the night that Tess and Optimus openly spent relaxing together alone; the rest of the Autobots and Lennox took the hint and also cleared out pretty quickly. Although Tess hated to think such things, she was a little bit glad when they all left; not only because it had been a long night, but because now she didn't have to parade around in a skanky police uniform in front of her work colleagues; even if they _were_ her close friends.

Currently, Optimus sat casually at her dining room table with the upturned candy bags of his and Tessa's; inspecting the individually wrapped foodstuffs with vague interest. The rest of the Autobots (_seeing as their Holoforms did not actually eat anything_) had split up their sweets evenly; and then 'donated' them equally to both Lucy and Annabelle for them to have. Tessa was in the kitchen, watching Optimus thoughtfully as he casually began to move the assorted lollies into piles; clearly finding some purpose in the task. She had to admit, the was a little more comfortable in her costume now that Optimus was the only one to risk seeing her in it.

She didn't _like_ being on display for people.

The little mechanic bit her lip nervously as she fiddled with the handcuffs at her belt; debating with herself whether what she was about to do was too…_kinky_ or not. She wasn't one of those girls who was willing to do pornographic fantasies, or parade herself as promiscuous in any way; but it occurred to her that she'd been forced to wear an outfit like this and she couldn't help but want to make the most of it. She sure as _hell_ wouldn't ever wear it again!

Finally, she took a deep breath and reached into the cupboard above the counter; pulling out a half-full tequila bottle that Aaron had bought while he'd been staying with her. Tess wasn't normally a drinker either, but if she was going to go through with this…she was going to need some liquid courage. After downing two small shot-glasses (_she didn't want to be drunk, just a little…braver_) she gave a heavy exhale and quietly made her way over to where Optimus was sitting, standing behind him quietly.

Kneading her fingers into his shoulder blades and massaging them gently, she felt him slacken a little and give a pleased sigh in appreciation before he spoke to her, "I had a wonderful time tonight," he said calmly as her fingers traced the muscles of his back, "your human traditions always…intrigue me."

She gave a smile and traced her hands down his arms as she nudged his head to the side with her nose, planting a kiss on the junction of his neck and shoulder, "I'm glad, Chief…" she murmured gently, feeling her heart beat just a little faster as she moved to instigate her plan, "…but there's still one more…Halloween game…that we can play…"

His eyes flickered curiously to her without turning his head at all, "Hm? Like what?"

Taking a deep breath and steeling her courage, Tessa dropped down a little bit with his wrists still in her hands. She brought them around to the back of the dining room chair and unlooped the cuffs from her belt.

"Tessa?" Optimus asked curiously, craning his neck a little bit to see under the beige hat that he still wore from his costume, "What are you doing?"

A metallic click was heard before the mechanic in question lifted herself once more, draping her arms over his shoulders and sliding her fingers tentatively underneath the printed flannel shirt; one of the buttons coming loose as she did so. Planting her lips on his neck again, she trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses along the muscle before reaching her face up to trap his ear lobe between her teeth.

"T-Tess…?" he breathed, feeling a little bit less controlled now that it was apparent that she had something in mind. He was still so deliciously innocent and naïve when it came to human sex; there were still so many tricks he hadn't been taught. She ignored his questioning tone, instead trailing her fingers along the pectoral muscles of his chest underneath the shirt; her thumb catching the nipple on one and making him arch a little, an action that was evidently minimized by the cuffs that bound him. As if only just realizing this, he craned his neck to look behind him confusedly, "Tessa," he repeated, "what exactly is this?"

With a heated breath, she ran her tongue hotly across the shell of the Holoforms' ear; causing him to expel a wonderful gasp. Then she pressed herself against his back and lowered her voice to a surprisingly seductive whisper.

"You're under arrest, _cowboy_…"


	63. Animals

**Wow…Tessa has a kinky side? Didn't know she had it in her ;)**

**Before people go worrying about this story turning into nothing but a series of lemons, I ASSURE YOU that it won't be. The reason I put in this little chapter about **_**kinky**_** sex between Tess and OP is because in my opinion there would no doubt be times in a sexual relationship where (**_**forgive me for the vulgar phrase due to lack of a better term**_**) both parties are literally just horny, and want sex without binds or fluff.**

**Please bear in mind that although Tessa did instigate this sexual encounter, she's still our bashful, discreetly unskanky and lovable little mechanic.**

**Just as a WARNING, this chapter contains and pretty much consists entirely, of a lemon. So if you no like-y; then you no read-y.**

**Hope you guys enjoy this one ;)**

Optimus was silent for a moment after she spoke, clearly not knowing quite what to say.

"Arrest? Tessa, what is this?"

Feeling the warmth of the tequila settling in her chest, she ran the bridge of her nose down his shoulder before planting a kiss on the junction of his neck; her tongue tracing the skin. "Playing a little game…" she murmured, her fingers playing with his hair teasingly, "You were – you looked so…_sexy_ tonight, Chief."

Her hands trailed down his arms before gripping the edges of the dining room chair and turning it 180 degrees to face her; the wood making a loud, graining noise against the floor. Now that he had changed direction, he could see her; taking in her small frame with a fond look. He still seemed a little perturbed by the situation, whether it be the handcuffs or her actions though; she wasn't entirely sure. His arms pulled a little bit, jingling the handcuffs and making Tessa place a hand on his chest.

"Uh-uh," she murmured teasingly, "no breaking out of handcuffs. You under _arrest_ remember."

Before the poor, confused Autobot could make any other kind of response, Tessa pressed closer to him and swung a leg either side of him on the chair; straddling his hips. She had no concerns about resting her body weight on him, because the Holoform's unreal strength made it easy to support her. Pressing her fingers into his hips, Tess leaned into him and pressed a deep, heavy kiss against the side of his mouth; her tongue tracing the join of his lips seductively. His eyes widened a little at her ministrations before her turned his head and caught her lips; cautiously returning her kiss. He was clearly humouring her by not breaking the cuff restraints; the Holoform would _easily_ have been able to break them, should he have chosen to.

Optimus couldn't say that his current predicament wasn't pleasant, but he was a little in awe at Tessa's sudden mood. She was normally the rather discreet sort; only being the dominant one in the relationship due to her being more experienced, but she'd never pulled a trick like _this_. And in that _costume_, he had to admit that it was sexy. She was behaving boldly…almost possessively. That was when a thought struck him.

"Tess – mmh-! Tess," he had to move his face to the side to separate their lips, seeing as his hands were still bound, "Is this because – mph, Tessa – because of that phone number-?"

She backed up a little, her fingers still playing in his hair as she looked at him; her brow knitted into a mild frown, "…And what if it is?" she asked incredulously, her voice mildly sounding like a challenge.

He tried to calm her from whatever rage she was still feeling, not realizing that she wasn't mad at him; she just _wanted_ him. "Tess," he said gently, "you have nothing to fear from her; the only human that interests me is _you_."

"That's irrelevant." She said firmly, her fingers tightening into his hair as she looked at him with a dangerously arousing facial expression, her teeth bared as she pressed her forehead to his and lowered her voice to a growl, "You're _my_ Autobot. No one else has the right to even _suggest_ doing this with you."

"It's alright Tess, you– _mmh_-!"

Before he could finish his reassurances to her, she had sealed her mouth back over his and slid her tongue past his teeth. There was nothing innocent or playful about these kisses, they were heavy and firm; she was serious right now. Normally their sex was loving and more often gentle than it was aggressive, but this was passion; raw, unadulterated and lustful _passion_ that she was dealing him right now. This was about making a claim on her partner; marking him as he had done for her.

Seeing no reason to deny her, Optimus reciprocated her fevered kisses; his Holoform's own tongue tracing hers as she clutched his shirt. She was still sitting astride him as she kissed him, her legs tightly draped over his hips; as if to allow him no escape.

Her right hand drifted from its grip on his shirt, sliding down to unclasp two of the buttons on the flannel shirt to expose some of the Holoform's chest. She then trailed her hands under the folds of the material and guided it open a little further before detaching their heated kiss and leading a searing hot trail with her tongue, down his throat and onto the exposed pectorals. Against his own devices, the Prime writhed at the feeling; his wrists twitching in their restraints.  
>"Tess…" he breathed, "are you planning to let me – ngh – let me reciprocate for you this time?"<p>

"No." she mumbled against his skin, grazing his chest muscle with her teeth, pinching the flesh slightly. She felt him tilt his head back with a semi-frustrated growl at her answer, an action which only served to fuel her ministrations with a smirk. Slowly and almost agonizingly, she ground her hips into his; eliciting a strangled noise from him as his head shot forward; bracing itself into the junction of her neck and shoulder. The Holoform's teeth ground together in an attempt to re-centre his coherency, the fingers of his bound hands flexing with need to _do_ something.

But as much as he wanted to break free and return her fevered gestures, he knew that it wasn't what she wanted from him right now. This was about her own dominance, her own reassurances for herself that he belonged to her.

It was this knowledge alone that stopped him from selfishly ravaging her.

In a sudden instant, he felt cold air hit the Holoform's abdomen as Tessa decided to pop the rest of the buttons on the shirt and let it fall open; exposing the muscles on the stomach. With an unusually rumbling purr, she kissed the musculature slowly and languidly; noticing Optimus squirm breathlessly when she grazed her lips on the skin just below his navel. This made her smirk, thoroughly enjoying being able to make his wriggle like this; it wasn't a normal thing for her.

"How you doing up there, Chief…?" she murmured against his skin; dragging her tongue across it.

He gave a growling rumble as she felt his legs tense beneath her, a noise that near made her toes curl proudly before hearing him finally gain enough coherence to answer her. "It is…difficult to maintain semblance of my mind…" he panted, gritting his teeth and bracing his heads against the back of the chair as she trailed a finger along the hem of the faded jeans on his hips. "Tess I am…_losing_ myself at the moment…"

She trailed kissed up his stomach before converging her mouth over his quickly, pulling away after a brief second, a curiously seductive look crossing her features "What do you mean losing yourself?"  
>The little mechanic dragged her nails tantalizingly up over the grooves and muscles of his abdomen and caused him to groan before he could answer her coherently, "I can…barely sense the truck. My attention is…being <em>drawn<em> to the Holoform…"

To his surprise, her brow knitted into a frown as she traced the shell of his ear with one finger before tracing it playfully down to his navel with a thoughtful expression, "Well…we can't have that, Optimus." She said in a matter-of-fact tone, leaning forward to plant and open mouthed kiss at the hollow of his throat, "Get rid of the Holoform and I'll see you outside. The real you deserves the best…_affections_ remember?"

He couldn't help but worry at her words; concerned as to what she had in mind, "Tessa, I cannot _interface_ with you in any form but this one. You could be hurt-"

She placed a finger on his lips to silence him, and as she removed it, the digit was replaced by her mouth in a kiss that was all lips and tongues and lust. "Aw Chief…" she murmured into his mouth, feeling the brave buzz of her liquor in the back of her skull, "that's why they call it _experimenting_."

Her hands twined around to the back of the chair and a click was heard from the cuffs as she released the safety catch. Feeling the metal restraints slacken and fall to the floor, Optimus gave a growl and seized her by the thighs to support her, crushing his mouth on hers and returning all the mesmerizingly _passionate_ gestures she had been showing to him. However she pulled away from him and slammed her hands into his shoulders almost demandingly, pinning him against the chair as she looked down at him.

"Uh-uh, nice try _cowboy_." she scolded him, "Truck. Now."

"But-?"

"Now."

Sighing defeatedly, he gave a nod and allowed her to slide off his lap before the Holoform disappeared in a flurry of tiny sparks; leaving Tessa to recuperate herself and pick up her handcuffs from the floor. She looked at them with new appreciation now; okay so she wouldn't wear the costume again, but the handcuffs DEFINITELY seemed to have their uses…

Dropping them onto the dining room table, she made her way outside and found the Peterbilt sitting quietly in her driveway. Running her hand lovingly across the paintwork, she popped open the door and climbed inside; shutting it with a thump behind her. To her surprise, the Holoform was already sitting in the passenger seat, looking at her with a sceptical and curious expression, still in the cowboy costume minus the hat this time. "So what exactly is your big plan, Tessa Jackson?" he asked with a mockingly serious tone. This made Tessa smirk rather…darkly…

"Well, _Optimus Prime_, how about we start by doing _this_?" Seizing the edges of his shirt, she dragged him toward her across the bench-style truck seat and planted him in the middle; swinging her leg over him so that she could straddle him once more. Before he could react she had firmly planted her palms on his shoulders and was pinning him quite forcefully into the leather. "And then we can try something like _this_."

Her mouth converged on his demandingly until he began to reciprocate quite willingly; releasing his shoulders when he did. With her now free hands, she raked her nails down the backing of the leather seat on either side of the Holoform; feeling the truck around them tremble slightly.

With a moan, the Holoform brought his hands up to rest them on the flesh of her exposed thighs, delighting in being able to dip beneath the fabric of the short skirt to access her skin. The tiny silver cross that was bound around his left wrist; her grandmother's cross, brushed the skin of her leg sensitively and made her giggle at the ticklish sensation. In response, she clenched her nails into the leather upholstery rather…erotically, causing the Holoform to separate their lips and toss his head back against the seat with a pleased gasp. She knew that touching the leather of the cabin was much the same as touching skin on a human, so his reaction made her smile; pleased that she could do to him what could be done to her.

It felt unusual to Tess, acting this way…she'd never just _wanted_ sex like this before. But with Optimus it was easy; everything just seemed to fall into place and it didn't make her feel promiscuous or vulgar…it just made her feel sexy.

Clumsily kicking off her boots and dropping them on the floor of the passenger side, she curled her ankles around his legs; using her heel to stroke the back of his calves and causing his to grumble appreciatively into their heavy kisses. His hold on her legs tightened as she removed a hand from the leather and slid her fingers achingly down his chest; tracing his navel with her thumb before creeping lower. A muffled sound escaped him as she popped the button on the jeans; not unsealing her mouth from his in any way…not just yet.

Sliding her fingers gently along his pelvic bone and marvelling not for the first time at how surprisingly _kinky_ it was that the Holoform occasionally didn't have underwear, she gently brushed her thumb against the base of the rising skin.

Optimus separated their lips to throw his head back and gasp before gritting his teeth through the pleasant sensations that coiled through the Holoform's abdomen at the touch. Tessa gave a rasping growl and fisted the other hand into his hair; forcing him to look her in the eye.

"I want you to know I won't ever let some other girl touch you. They don't _get_ this right." To emphasise her point, she twined her fingers around the erection and dragged her nails up the underside; eliciting and almost violent growl from him.

Removing one of his hands from tightly clutching her legs, he raised it into her hair and looked at her seriously, his Cybertronian blue eyes casting a mild glow on her in the darkness that surrounded them, "I am yours, Tessa," he said to her seriously, trying to remain coherent despite her fingers still being wrapped around him, "I will _accept_ no other."

Pulling him forward, she gave him a rather mischievous smirk before she spoke, "That's because nobody else can do what I do. Like this, for example."

Pulling his mouth up to hers, she squeezed the length in her hand and dragged her nails along it slowly while she simultaneously reached her arm around behind her; firmly grasping the gear stick of the truck and doing the same thing.

_Sweet_ _Primus_ he nearly overloaded right then and there.

The simultaneous interfacial stimulation was almost too much to handle; it was sexual _bombardment_ for Pit sake! Their lips separated abruptly as a violent, almost guttural growl clawed its way up the Holoform's throat, the windows of the truck rattling simultaneously as well. Tessa felt an unusually lustful heat sink into her belly at the noise he made, having never heard anything like it from him before.

It was hot.

With an almost bestial growl, his finger dug themselves into her hips and he practically shoved her down onto the leather seating with himself stationed between her legs as he seized her hands. Pinning her wrists above her head with just one hand, the Holoform latched onto her throat and administered a series of sloppy, open mouthed kisses on her skin; causing her to moan rather appreciatively. These kisses crossed her chest and moved to the other side of her throat before he grazed his teeth along her skin; biting down gently on the flesh.

Tessa couldn't control an embarrassingly needy groan from escaping her as he started to suck on the bite mark, making her writhe and squirm in pleasure; however the Holoform gave a possessive growl and pinned her wrists tighter.

She couldn't deny it; he was _fucking sexy_ when he was like this.

"Mmh…" she gasped breathlessly, her face flushed from both her current predicament and her natural embarrassed tendencies, "Do that again…"

Another soft bite graced her skin before he obediently sucked at the flesh again. Then Tessa felt something twining around her wrists, causing her to look up and squint in the dark. The seatbelt; the passenger's side seatbelt had come from its holder and was binding her where she was so that he could free up the Holoform's own hands.

Still not removing himself from being latched to her throat, his fingers traced softly, teasingly, up her arms, over her clothed breasts and onto the soft skin of her exposed stomach before trailing over her skirt to her thighs. He took hold of her left leg, the one closest to the back of the seating, and hook a hand under her knee; curling her leg around him as if to demand closeness.

Optimus then began to ghost his tongue across her collarbone; earning a breathy squeak from her as he planted a teething kiss on her clavicle; trying to plant a reciprocating kiss into his hair. The hands on her legs slowly inched their way up her thighs, his nails dragging tantalizingly up her skin before they slipped beneath the hem of her police skirt; however they didn't stop.

Greedily his tongue dragged across her throat as his thumbs, near buried beneath the riding fabric of her skirt, hooked themselves up under the legs of her plain, cotton underwear. Bringing his mouth back up to hers and finally – _finally_ – crashing their lips together again, he slowly dragged the briefs down over her thighs inch by gruelling inch before he lifted her legs and pulled them off her; dropping the fabric carelessly onto the floor of the driver's side.

With his lips still converged over her own, kissing her noisily, he traced his right hand up the inside of her leg, letting his nails catch the skin tenderly.

Despite the fact that her head was currently swimming from the sensations, Tessa couldn't help but feel that her Optimus, the real Optimus, was still getting minimal attention even though her intention had not been to end up like this with the Holoform. Feeling almost guilty, she used her bound hands to press against the passenger side door of the Peterbilt and drag her nails achingly across the metal and leather, dipping her fingers into the grooves and raises of the work. She heard the radio flicker to life and his voice lace through the speakers; a trace of ecstasy creeping into the back of his voice as he moaned simultaneously with the Holoform.

"Oh my God, Chief…" she gasped breathlessly, feeling the Holoform's hand pressed to the junction of her thighs and making her voice drop to a hiss, "You…you are so fucking _sexy_."

With the leg that was not against the seat, she traced the floor with her bare foot until she found the base of the gears; sliding the metal between her toes and hearing the radio growl needily as she ran her foot up the shaft of the stick.

"T-Tess…" he hissed. She realized that his voice was coming from both the Holoform and the truck; the sound of his reverberating baritone coming from two places at once nearly making her moan. He was over her, around her; and within a brief moment; he was inside her as well. The length of the Holoform, driven by the arousing trick she'd pulled with the gear shift, had buried himself into her; a relieved growl clawing its way up his chest.

She was so close already that just the sensation alone of him being there nearly tipped her over the edge. "Optimus…" she choked, her voice a needy whimper now, "Let my hands go…_please_! I-I need you…I need you _now_…"

She felt the seatbelt unstrap itself from her wrists, leaving her free to press her mouth insistently to his, gripping the Holoform's hair in one hand; and clutch the leather upholstery desperately in the other. As a signal for him to just move, she wrapped her legs around his hips tightly and pulled him closer; the contact causing him to separate their lips and throw his head up in a silent scream. Finally, _finally_ his hips moved with hers, shooting unbelievable sensations up her spine like she'd never felt before.

This, tonight, it wasn't just about their feelings for each other this time; it was passion and lust and all their pent up energy manifested into a burning, sexual supernova. It was one of those times where both parties wanted sex; unbidden and unrestrained, and by God it was incredible.

Bliss was not far away for either of them on this occasion, the build-up having been much more of the experience than the actual act of intercourse. As they moved together, functioning as one body; the truck began to rumble from deep inside its framework and the windows began to build up a trembling, rattling motion. The entire cabin felt like it was filled with humid static and the seat trembled beneath her. Tessa actually screamed as an orgasm ripped through her body; in turn triggering Optimus' own overload as her body seized and tightened around him. A primal snarl, almost a roar, grappled its way out of both the Holoform's throat _and_ the speakers of the radio at the same time as Tessa's fingers dug into both the scalp of the Holoform and the leather of the Peterbilt's seats.

Optimus collapsed over her; unable to support his weight after the simultaneous overload of both his forms, the sensational high was almost too much. It was euphoric. Beneath him, Tessa breathed heavily, trying to suck in oxygen after suffering from the pleasurable intensity of what was their first bout of _lustful_ and purposeless sex.

"Op…Optimus…" she breathed, having to pause before actually completing his name, "That was…my GOD that was…unreal…"

"…I agree…" he whispered, sounding as though there was no air left in his lungs, "I'd have never thought…that something like that was…even _possible_."

She gave a whispered giggle before twining her hands into his hair; feeling cold dampness on his scalp. She'd discovered that even though the Holoform sweated, it wasn't actual sweat, just a water excretion that it used to mimic the function. "What did I tell you, Chief…?" she said teasingly, looking up at him with a smirk, "It's all about _experimenting_. I can't wait to see what we can work on in your bipedal form…"

He gave a chuckle against her as he lifted her and shifted positions, pulling himself out of her and resting her on his chest as he stroked her hair, "Tess…you don't need to do-"

"-Don't you dare say what I think you're going to say," she murmured lazily, "because then I'll just do it 'cause you told me not to."

He smiled and closed his eyes as he felt their chests pressed together, her heart against his Spark.

"Do you want to go inside now?" he asked her gently.

He felt her shake her head slowly against his neck in response, "No…not yet. Let's just…_stay_ a little longer…just like this." She heard his responding laughter come not from the Holoform beneath her, but the stereo speakers around her.

"As you command…_officer_."


	64. Behind Those Eyes

**So basically a little bit of a filler including some details of Tessa's weapon and how it works.**

**Also, Optimus is not in this chapter; it's more about the bond between Ironhide and Tess. In fact, it's not actually just BANTER between them, but this time there's actual fluff between the two. Sweet, family fluff! *squees***

**I have a link to the rough idea I have for Tessa's weapon, it's not exact and apparently it's from Star Wars or something but it's the closest thing I could find. As usual, copy and paste the link without the spaces.**

**starwarsgalaxies . station . sony . com/images/features/ProtonRifle . jpg**

**It's pretty similar to that, but imagine it with a fatter charge chamber and a sturdier handle :) Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy this; I thought it was nice to have a little bit of development between 'Hide and Tess as friends.**

**I think of the two of them as a pair who have managed to find family within each other despite any differences between them. Ironhide is the gruff, battle hardened warrior who isn't used to sugar-coating things, and Tessa is the sheltered, heart-on-her-sleeve sort. **

**In my eyes, Tessa seeks to help Ironhide see the things in life that don't have to be bad, and he tries to teach her about hardship. They are just so much fun to write together, because they are like the perfect brother and sister duo :)**

"Wow! This thing has some serious punch 'Hide!"

Behind her, Tessa heard Ironhide give a scoff, "Well, it would _want_ to if you want any hope of it taking out a Decepticon. Now let's have a look…" he knelt down beside her to get a closer look at her hold on the weapon before poking her in the elbow, "This arm needs to be higher; put the hand closer to the back of the barrel…and you need to have your left foot back further. You aren't supported enough when it fires."

Shuffling around on her feet, Tess moved her left foot a little more behind her; a wider stance to brace herself this time. She moved her hand a little closer towards her chest, supporting the butt of the barrel against the joint in her shoulder as he'd told her to. "Better?"

"Much." Ironhide replied, his optics focused on the weapon that was so tiny in comparison to him, but so large compared to her. "How's the weight?"

She glanced at the firearm (_given its design function, it was essentially a small cannon_) before nodding at him with a sheepish smile, "It's not too bad. I mean, I'll definitely need to get used to it; but it's much lighter than I thought it would be."

He nodded and stood to his full height with a gruff grunt, "You could probably make a harness to carry it with you when you need to, but in all honesty there is very little chance of you requiring using it."

"Yeah, let's hope so…" Tess mumbled, "I'm happy to admit that I'd rather _not_ have to square off with a Decepticon _at all_."

He laughed loudly before pointing to the target, "Well, just for kicks; pretend that _is_ one. Shoot it."

With a playful grin, she appropriated her stance and set her fingers around the butt of the weapon and hovered over the trigger. The weapon had ended up becoming something of a hybrid between a rifle and what Ironhide called a 'photon cannon' because it used its own charge energy as ammunition, rather than a physical ammo source. It was a little bigger than a shotgun, but with a much more heavy-duty barrel and a broader energy chamber to withhold the power of the temperature charge. Ironhide had solved the problem of the chamber overheating by coating the interlining with insulin made of Energon. When she had asked how he had accomplished it, he'd seemed tight lipped and wouldn't go into detail.

What she didn't know, was that he and Ratchet had created the insulation by lacing a small portion of their _own_ Energon, the lifeblood of their species, with a melted form of liquid silicon which they had allowed to cool and set within the interior of the chamber and barrel.

Energon was the only valid substance they could use to protect the metal from overheating; given that the photon would now treat the weapon as a Transformer's own armour. The photon charge would not react to the Energon, therefore perfectly insulating it.

When Tess had tried to pry the information out of them, Ratchet and Ironhide had told her that there were technologies of the weapon that they could not share with a human; after all it wasn't her place to know how Energon could be used in weapons. It was something that, despite their complete trust in Tessa, Optimus could not allow the humans to know of. Considering her positioned title as the Autobot leader's lover, but not his Sparkmate; she was no more entitled to the information than any other human, and as soon as she had been informed of her lack in clearance, she'd not said another word against it.

She would not ask for things she shouldn't know.

Flipping the charge gage, a high pitched whir was heard from the weapon before it started to hum; that was when Tess knew that it was ready to be fired. From one full charge she was able to fire three rounds of either devastating molten photon, or crippling blasts of freezing plasma matter.

Only one extreme could be used in one charge, therefore if she wanted to use heat _and_ cold, she would have to fire three rounds of one before switching to the other. The weapon took several seconds to recharge for the next round, and would not be ideal for real 'thick of the action' or 'react in an instant' battles, but that didn't bother Ratchet, Ironhide or Tessa.

She wasn't _planning_ on going into major battles. All she wanted was to be able to help if she needed to; if by some freak accident Decepticons stormed the base and tried to hurt any of them…By God if any of them even _touched_ her Optimus, then she would do anything she could to protect him; to protect all of them.

…even if she _was_ only human.

"That was shocking!" Ironhide scoffed, pointing at the target; which now had ice burns seared into it, "Do it again. Use the heat this time."

Obediently, she waited a few seconds before turning the charge dial again and setting it for the molten photon blasts. Aiming it carefully, she slid one of her eyes shut and took in a breath, however a poke in her spine caused her to squeak and look up.

"Wrong," Ironhide said gruffly as he kneeled beside her, clearly taking on a lecturing tone; as if he were instructing a troop, "you should _never_ close one of your eyes, Squishy. Two is always better than one; the only reason you shouldn't use two eyes, is if you _can't_ use two."

He pointed to his damaged right eye with a slightly sardonic smirk; clearly amused by the irony. Then he leaned in behind her; to better follow her line of sight as he guided her, lifting a single finger underneath her elbow to brace her grasp.

"So…how do I get it right on target…?" Tess asked, sounding a little worried about how to do this. She'd been practicing a little with Ratchet, but this was her first proper training session with Ironhide and needless to say; it was much more of his forte than it was the medic's.

His voice dropped to a concentrated murmur behind her, the familiar sound helping her to focus, "Both eyes trained on the target, Tess; and keep the barrel of the cannon in line with your nose. That way your vision is centred and your aim is true." He tapped her on the head from behind before deciding to give her some motivation, "That target mark is a Decepticon, and they just attacked Optimus."

Her eyes widened at that statement before she felt her heart ache at the suggestion; she didn't even want to think about it. Exhaling heavily, she did as she was told and pointed the weapon in the line of her eyes; her heart thumping a little bit as she _prayed_ that she would hit on target this time.

The longer she focused on the target, the blurrier the background became around it; and in a flashing moment, she remembered what she had seen when N.E.S.T had brought Optimus' body back to the base in New Jersey. She remembered how it had felt; just seeing his wise and expressively gentle face completely devoid of life.

She remembered how much it _hurt_…

"No…" she murmured, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, trying to blockade the emotions she'd felt at the time from swamping her. Her gaze returned to the target, ignoring the threatening sting of tears from reaching her eyes before the marked 'opponent' in front of her became a blur.

She didn't know what a Decepticon looked like, because she'd never seen one before; but in that moment, that target was her Megatron – in whatever villainous form she imagined him to be. It was that _thing_ that had taken Optimus away from her before their beginning feelings had even had the chance to grow; to think that she could have completely missed all the wonderful things that Optimus had shown her since then.

What she'd shown _him_…

An angry hiss escaped her as she felt a tear slide from the corner of her eye before her fingers squeezed the trigger and released her fire in three consecutive blasts. In the wake of the next few seconds, her teeth gritted…but before Ironhide could review her method, the gun gave a whir to signify it was ready for the next round.

Wasting no time, she fired again; looking angrier this time.

This continued for several repeated periods, and out of curiosity; Ironhide chose not to say anything. Her eyes held so much anger, so much hurt; he also noticed a leaking from her optical duct that she seemed determined to ignore. He'd seen anger like this before, it was not bloodlust; but a form of protectiveness. Of love for his leader.

He hadn't realized just how deeply humans seemed to feel love after all…

Tess continued to fire until her arms were heavy and the weapon felt like dead weight in her grasp; lowering it with trembling hands as Ironhide crouched down and reached a finger underneath her to support the gun as he helped her lower it to the floor.

"Tess…?" he asked gently, trying to coax her out from whatever memory her head had pulled her into.

Seeming dazed, she suddenly gasped and looked at the target in front of her. She had seemed to favour the molten rounds a lot more this time, obviously to reflect the white-hot anger she had been feeling towards whatever face she had imagined to be Megatron's. Her shoulders suddenly slumped and her fingers trembled as she looked at the target. "How…did I do…" she asked weakly.

Ironhide gave a rumbling chuckle and gestured to it, "Well, I wouldn't go recommending you be a sniper…your aim is still quite novice. But you certainly earn points for…enthusiasm."

Tess scratched the back of her neck embarrassedly, a worried frown stitching into the corner of her mouth, "Sorry…It's just that…when you mentioned the Decepticons attacking Optimus," she took a breath and pressed a hand subconsciously to her heart as if to quell the pain that rose there, "I remembered that day that…they brought him back from the battle with Megatron. He was so _lifeless_, Ironhide! To ever see that again… I-I couldn't bear…I just _couldn't_."

Ironhide heard the thickness in her voice as her eyes started to leak a little more, and he suddenly felt bad for having suggested that she pretend to shoot at a Decepticon. Although she had witnessed their injuries and heard their stories, Tess was a kind-hearted, very sheltered person; and she had never witnessed the brutality of war first hand before meeting them.

It had not been his place to have asked her to relive something that would have no doubt had incredibly horrific magnitude to her. In an instant, he felt angry at himself at having been so ignorant to her sensitivity; war had been a part of him for so long that he had become desensitized to its horrors.

_She_ had not.

With a growling rumble from deep within his chassis, Ironhide moved an arm around her and pressed her close; earning a surprised gasp from the little human.

Although the two of them had often displayed a brash and bickering affection for one another, she couldn't recall a time where he had actually embraced her like this. But despite her confusion at the action, she lifted her arms and gratefully pressed her arms against his face as he pulled her in to him.

"I apologize, Tessa," he said gruffly, "I didn't mean to bring up anything bad. Foe-facing was a tactic we are taught to encourage soldiers to better attack their practice targets, but…I keep forgetting that _you_ are not a soldier."

The little mechanic felt his large mechanical fingers fidget a little, the digits clicking against one another as he shielded her in his arms. On Cybertron he had never had a femme to call his sibling; plenty of comrades that he looked to as his brothers, but never a sister. Seeing her interactions with her fleshling brother, and how similar it was to their own relationship; he imagined that the way he felt with _her_ was probably the closest thing he would have to it.

Feeling her tiny fingers tap on his cheek rhythmically, he gave a gruff sigh and pulled away from her; clearing his vocal processor indignantly.

"I think that's enough for you for one day…" he said, gesturing over to the firing range where her target was still smoking a little bit.

Following his gaze, she couldn't stop a smile from crossing her features; a sight that relieved him to know they were moving away from the sensitive subject, "I think you're right, Ironhide. Let's get out of here."

She pulled back from him a little, allowing him to extend to his full height before she picked up the weapon on the ground and followed the stout mech towards the exit. As they reached the tarmac, Ironhide paused in his steps; causing Tess to move around him to look up at his expression.

He seemed contemplative.

"You okay 'Hide?" she asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ironhide replied, squatting down suddenly beside her and reaching a hand out to her, "Here."

His fingers curled around her in a manner a little different to how Optimus did. He wasn't as tender as the Prime, but he was in no way careless with her. Ignoring her surprised gasp, he lifted her up and planted her on his shoulder; something else that she noticed he'd never done before.

"What's wrong, old man?" she asked gently, patting him fondly on the side of the head, "You seem very…fluffy today."

A deep, seemingly bothered grumble rolled up his chest before he answered with a shake of his head, "I didn't mean to upset you in the shooting range; I didn't think about the effects my training method would have on someone who isn't a soldier. I'm sorry-"

"-Stop." Tess barked suddenly, tapping him on the side of the head again, "Stop apologizing; neither of us knew what was going to happen, it did and it's over. I'm _fine_ 'Hide; stop fussing, okay?"

He looked perturbed as they walked. Ironhide had obviously never been the 'gentle' type when dealing with things, and he certainly wasn't the emotional type; but hurting someone's _feelings_ had never bothered him so much before.

Back on Cybertron he'd been able to make new recruits breakdown into emotional scrap, or run away with their tailpipe between their aft; and then he'd laugh about it with his peers later over a cube of high-grade as though it were nothing. But Tess was not some recruit, and she was not just some human.

She had become important to _all_ of them.

While it was true that she was not as strong, or physically able as one of them; Tess had always comprehended their capabilities in technology, always been willing to _learn_ their sciences. Ratchet very rarely had to teach her something more than once before she could accomplish it herself with the aid of her notes, and they had never had to tell her how to repair a car. Not to mention that powerful empathy that she showed to others, no matter their story or history.

True, in body she was human; but she _loved_ like a Cybertronian.

Ironhide gave a sudden scoff as they continued walking; the little mechanic perched on his shoulder as a mouse would sit atop a bear. "It's a wonder that you're so important to us, Squishy. You're _bossy_ for one so tiny."

Tessa gave a shrug and clung a little tighter to his metal as his steps jostled her a little, "You're literally the _biggest_ brother I've got, tough guy; who else is going to keep you in line if I don't?" she giggled, shielding herself from the late afternoon sun as they approached her regular work hangar, "You wouldn't know _what_ to do without me!"

Her humour, even in the wake of having remembered something that was painful and difficult for her, truly astounded him at human resilience. Not for the first time he had been proven that despite their lack of armour, despite all their infinite physical shortcomings; they still had the _willpower_ to own themselves.

To exist without fear of reprimand for doing so.

Before having met Sam, or Lennox, Epps; or Tessa, he'd have not really cared all that much about this planet or its people. He'd have followed orders to keep Prime happy, but he would certainly not have lost any sleep over the casualties this planet was doomed to suffer when their war lands on its shores. But now, he had personal ties to the organics of this world; brave beings that he was proud to call his comrades, his _friends_.

"Here we are." He said suddenly, reaching up and plucking the female from his shoulder and gently lowering her to the concrete, "You did well today Squishy. I would recommend a few more sessions before you go feeling like you can actually _take on_ a Decepticon; let's not forget that you're still only a fleshy."

She gave an amused laugh and playfully punched him in the leg, making a loud _clang_ as her fist collided with his metal. "Yeah, yeah…Don't worry, I don't plan on hunting down Decepticons _any_ time soon." She smiled up at him with that teasing, bickering affection they shared before she gestured to the hangar, "Anyway, I'd better get to work; I'll see you around okay?"

A gruff noise was the only form of response she heard before he knelt slightly and engulfed her tiny skull with his palm tenderly. As she laughed at the gesture, he stood and turned without a word; his habitual walls back in place. Shaking her head with a laugh at his gruff antics, Tess also turned away and headed into her hangar. Both of them understood the lack of verbal ado towards one another; they both knew what it meant, because they were family to each other.

Family didn't need words.


	65. Inhale

**SO SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT GUYS!**

**Truth be told, now that it's starting to get closer to Christmas, my updates may be a little bit less frequent; though I'll try to keep them up. Unfortunately I'm in retail, and Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year, so don't freak out if updates occasionally take longer than usual.**

**It's also my 21****st**** birthday next week :D (OMG NO WAY!) it's the 25****th**** of November, for those of you who love me enough to remember hahahaha.**

**Anyhow, this chapter involves a little bit of Spark-loving ;) Just to let you know, Primary Mechanisms isn't going to turn into a lemonfest, but the reason I've been including them frequently in recent chapters is because Optimus and Tessa are still new with their relationship sexually.**

**We grow as they grow, I don't want to go skipping the beginning of their relationship, the parts where they're still learning each other and how to be together.**

**Well, again I'm sorry for the delay. But I will admit that I'm working on a Oneshot involving Ironhide and a new OC, so keep an eye out; though it's going to be A LOT darker in nature than Primary Mechanisms. ENJOY THE CHAPTER!**

**The title of the chapter, Inhale, is an instrumental piece by Killswitch Engage, and I would suggest having it playing in the background while you read this; because it's what really gave the chapter life for me while I was writing it. The link is below, just remove the spaces :)**

**www . youtube . com/watch?v=Fr37aNfxQQs&feature=related**

It was easy to see why Tess had grown to adore and cherish Saturdays.

To have Optimus able to insist on taking the time for the two of them was wonderful; she loved having the opportunity to just be with _him_. It wasn't even about sexual togetherness, because just being in his presence was enough to make her happy; and vice versa.

She was currently laying on the couch, watching Optimus playing her gaming console while she rested her head on his thigh. He'd developed partialness to online fighting games and had proved to be a master at remembering button combinations; a fact which didn't surprise Tessa given his computer-mappable mind. She greatly delighted in the simple joys he got from _virtually_ fighting, rather than having to do the real thing.

Usually he played for a little while, but he always ended up giving in to the distraction of touching her skin; the sensations still seemed to fascinate him. Shutting off the system, he placed the controller carefully on the coffee table and looked down at her; the little mechanic's amber eyes glancing up with a relaxed smile. "Hey there stranger…" she said gently, reaching up to tap him gently on the nose.

With a deep, reverberating chuckle, he caught her wrist in his hand and brushed her fingers loosely across his mouth; gently kissing each of her fingertips. This made her blush, admittedly, but she giggled at him. "You're so touchy feely tonight, Chief."

She had to avoid the urge to laugh in amusement at his vague shrug. "Sensation is pleasant; I like contact with you in this form, it is…nice," he said simply, as though it were the most simple and obvious thing in the world.

"But…I always feel like I'm exploiting the Holoform when we do things like this," she gestured to the way they were both reclining on her couch casually, "I don't fool myself into thinking that it's real, because I love the bipedal you; the _true_ you. Does that…make sense at all?"

With a heavy sigh, he laced his fingers into her long hair and twined his fingers into the ones she had strewn on his leg. "Tessa…" he rumbled deeply, his voice serious, "While the Holoform may be nothing but a convenient tool to allow us moments like this; you must understand that it is still _me_. I feel no more or less when I am in this form, than when I am bipedal or alternate. Do you understand? _This_ body allows me to be with you in ways that I would otherwise be unable; and I do not regret any time that I spend with you in this form."

Shifting his weight, he rested her head more comfortably on his thigh and slid his fingers down across her chest; placing his palm over her heart and innocently avoiding any 'ulterior' contact with her breast. He could feel her heart beating against his hand as he rested the Holoform's palm over it; and found the steady action rather calming.

He loved feeling her humanity; her _life_.

"I wish to be a part of you…in whatever form will allow it to be so. Including this one."

Tess squirmed a little on his leg and looked up at him with a completely relaxed expression, "I know…but it just feels…traitorous when I'm with this," she raised her hand and gently traced a finger along his Holoform's chin; his eyes closing contentedly at her touch, "I'm not with you because of any human form you can project, Chief…I love _you_; the real you. I guess that sometimes it just feels like…like I'm cheating on you _with_ you."

He gave a rumbling chuckle and suddenly bent his body over itself to plant a soft kiss on her lips; earning a rather surprised squeak at the sudden gesture. She was clearly in a content, but deeply thoughtful mood tonight, and as much as he appreciated her concern; he did not like the idea of her feeling upset or _wrong_. Is discontented him to think that she might doubt her expression of affection to the Holoform; it was still a _part_ of him, and he used it so that he _could_ be close to her. It was as much for his own selfish joys as it was for her.

"Tessa…" he murmured against her mouth, "Mmm…my Tessa… Would you prefer to go for a drive with me?"

Her hand suddenly twined into his hair and she pressed back a kiss in return before smiling against his mouth, "Much…I would _much_ prefer that."

His fingers played lovingly in her hair for a brief moment before he released her from his lips and the Holoform disintegrated without a word; a silent signal that he would be waiting outside. With a grin to herself, Tess pulled herself up off the couch and took her house keys off the hook; making sure the doors and windows were locked before leaving, a habit of her mother's that she was glad to have retained.

Casting a glance at her scruffy, tired looking reflection in the microwave, she decided it didn't really bother her; Optimus accepted her as she was, just as she accepted him. Dressed in a pair of black leggings, a black singlet and a thin grey cardigan, she padded barefoot out the door and locked it behind her before bounding down the steps of her porch.

The concrete was _chilly_ beneath her feet, but as soon as her hand came into contact with the truck's metal she didn't care; she could have been walking on ice or hot coals as far as she was concerned. She had her truck, she was happy.

As the door to the driver's side popped open, she climbed in and settled herself comfortably in the seat; shivering a little at the contrast between the previously cold air and the warm leather seat. She heard the radio spark to life and a concerned tone enter the Autobot's voice.

"Shouldn't you be wearing more layers of clothing? You don't have self-adjusting temperature, Tessa; I do not want you getting ill."

She giggled and ran a hand over the steering wheel as she strapped the seatbelt over her chest, "I'm fine, Optimus; that's what I have you for."

As if in response or confirmation, the heaters flared up in the cabin and he idled out of her driveway. The two of them were silent for a long while, with nothing but gentle music playing in the background as they drove , but eventually as they came to the highway, she heard the music dull a little and Optimus' voice overlayed on top of the notes. "Would you like to go anywhere in particular?"

She paused for a moment before gently sliding her fingers down the edges of the steering wheel, a content sigh escaping her as she did so, "Somewhere you can transform and not be seen. I want to be with _you_. Any suggestions?"

"…I may know a place..." he sounded cheeky, almost amused at his own statement; but Tessa didn't bother to find out. She just nodded in response and curled her fingers deliciously into the leather; the sensation probably similar to the massages she gave him as a Holoform.

Turning off onto the highway, she watched the gears shift fluidly as the truck began to pick up speed; the engine purring beneath her feet. It had become one of the most comforting sensations in the world to her, because it was so wholly _him_. The smell of leather, diesel and metal filled her senses and made her feel so safe; it was as though the world could not touch them while they were together, while they drove.

Eventually, he went off-road and pulled up over a small, grassed stretch of cliff overlooking an empty field. Beside them sat a tall tree, branches bare in the oncoming winter season. She knew this place…

"This is where we kissed, isn't it Chief?" she asked gently, overlooking the dark field with a sense of warm familiarity.

"It is." He rumbled knowingly.

She couldn't hide her blush as she felt her smile climb across her face; feeling as though it reached her ears and would tear her face in half from the strength of it. The fact that he'd remembered every detail, down to the location; made her heart swell with so much _love_ that it felt like it would near burst out of her chest from the magnitude. With a giggle, she unbuckled the seatbelt and climbed out of the Peterbilt; gasping just slightly when her feet touched the cold grass.

The familiar sound of his transformation filled the air; shattering the silence that surrounded them out here in the nothingness. Under the light of the moon, she found herself staring at him almost dumbly.

He was so beautiful.

As in, beyond anything she'd ever _seen_ type of beautiful. The moonlight shone over the smooth, polished paint from his truck body; giving the illusion that the flames on the paintjob were licking up his arms and legs. The silver components of his body that were normally concealed as the Peterbilt were exposed and bathed in the glorious pearlescent light; and Tessa found herself drinking in the sight.

So focused on her observations, she didn't notice the shiver that rolled through her shoulders as she stood in the cool night air; but Optimus did.

He knelt gently beside her before holding his hand palm up on the grass before her, a gesture for her to sit there. She did so without a second's hesitation, and he tenderly brought her to his chest, cupping the other hand around her to shield her from the cold. He knew that he generated the most warmth from his chest; from his Spark. Given its affection for Tessa, it radiated a little more vibrantly at having her brought closer.

It loved her; despite her being human.

He heard her give off a little sigh, a contended noise escaping her at the warmth she could clearly feel. "I told you that you needed more layering…" he said with a borderline scolding manner as he looked down at her, a genuine affection radiating from his optics.

She returned his gaze, stare for stare as she replied, "Yeah, and I told you…that's why I have you."

With a giggle, she reached forward and buried her fingers into the seam between the plating on his chest, taking gentle hold of the cross that still hung there; protected by the metal. It looked so…_right_ sitting there. Suddenly, she got distracted by the hum that seemed to be occurring behind it; a pulsing and constant drone that seemed to emit its own warmth.

"Optimus…" she whispered gently, not really willing to break the gentle spell they were under, "your Spark is under there, right?"

He nodded, looking down at her seriously as he replied to her; his voice calm and almost wistful in its tone. "Yes; my Spark, directly beneath the token of the one who gave me her heart." He gestured to the necklace before cradling her a little tighter to him and exhaling a content sound similar to a sigh; the warm air providing her with some comfort.

Curiosity snaked its way into her mind as she stood up in his hand, running her fingers tenderly across the flamed hood that sat on his chest plating. She had heard stories from the bots about how they could actually expose their Sparks, but that it was very rarely done because it was a great vulnerability to them and it required a great deal of trust.

But she liked to think that Optimus would trust her…

"Chief…" she murmured gently, her fingers twining sentimentally with the cross of her grandmother, "…would you show it to me…?"

There was a startled whirring sound as his gaze snapped down at her, shocked at the request. He found himself speechless for a moment, trying to comprehend the magnitude of what she had just asked of him. He had not exposed his Spark in…in _millennia_. He actually couldn't even recall if he ever _had_ revealed it for any purpose other than surgical needs that Ratchet had required in their long history as comrades. He'd never trusted anyone else enough to _needlessly_ expose the most vulnerable part of him. It just took him by surprise that Tess would ask it of him so abruptly, not that he disliked the idea…it was just not something to be taken lightly for his kind.

However Tessa, who had mistaken his silence for anger; feared that she had insulted him or overstepped a boundary, maybe they had to _offer_ to expose their Sparks; what if what she'd asked of him was _wrong_?

"Optimus I- I didn't mean to insult you! If that's…wrong…I'm sorry! I just thought that-"

She was cut off by his hand cupping her tighter, cradling her to him closer as he gave an objecting rumble from deep within himself, "_No_." he growled quietly, "Tessa you did _nothing_ wrong, do you understand me? Do not doubt yourself…I could never be angry with you. I was just…caught off guard…" He gave a heavy exhale and looked up at the stars, "I have never exposed my Spark before to someone who was not my medic…but I trust you Tessa; I trust you _infinitely_."

With slightly rattled, unsteady fingers, he held her a little ways from his chest before speaking again; his voice much heavier and nervous now.

"I will show you."

There was a moment of brief, total silence before a metal groan escaped the plating on his chest and the seam split open with an exhaling hiss; several tiny sparks of electrical energy flickering through the gap briefly. Tessa held her breath as she watched the plates shift a little before Optimus reached up and pried them apart gently with his free hand; suddenly bathing her in a flickering blue light. Encased in something like a cage was a ball of pulsing, crackling energy that looked like raw electricity. It had live tendrils that snaked off the main body before fizzling and dying down to return to the source, the same way that lightning looked when it would arch from cloud to cloud. As the cage cracked open and revealed the raw Spark, it seemed to radiate its own energy…its own _life_. It promised warmth, love, and protection like she'd never felt before; just looking at it made her feel whole, complete and wanted.

She wanted it to swallow her and never let go.

"Optimus Prime…" she exhaled breathlessly, "You…my God, you are so _beautiful_…"

It was unnerving, feeling so exposed right now, but her words reassured him in a way; calmed him. There was no danger or judgement with her; she would not hurt him in any way. His Spark knew this, and with a will that was almost not his own, he held her close; letting her feel the pulsing thrum of the energy centre.

Almost reactively, she reached for it. She could _smell_ its energy…like the static air after a tropical storm, humid and dry, dense and light…calm but dangerous; the air was blanketed in a feeling so gentle, that it was volatile. Taking in a sharp breath, she swallowed her nerves and pressed her hand to it. Almost instantaneously, the electrical style energy crackled beneath her hand and laced itself between her fingers; almost as if to say 'don't ever let me go' in its own, silent way.

She also didn't miss the short, strangled noise that cut itself from Optimus' vocal processor. It was difficult to say whether it was from surprise or pain, and the sound of it startled her; causing her to worriedly pull her hand back away from the energy. The 'lightning' strands gave a little resistance to her pull before releasing her, and she heard Optimus give a noise that sounded…like disappointment?

"Optimus?" she asked suddenly, "Did I hurt-"

"_Primus_, do that again…" he murmured; his optics seemingly unfocused for a moment before he rumbled out, "…_please _do it again."

That was when Tess realized that touching his Spark had a pleasant effect on him, she hadn't hurt him at all! It suddenly made sense though, it was the very soul of a transformer; no doubt the touches and feelings it received were probably tenfold to what their bodies would normally feel. She remembered Ratchet saying something about a Cybertronian ability to Sparkmerge; something that could quite often be sexual, but was much more intense than interfacing. A sudden, embarrassed smile crossed her face as the realization dawned on her.

_This_ could be a way to please him…the Cybertronian way.

He had made so many changes for her, trying to use the Holoform to please her the human way, to make her feel normal; but she didn't want that. She loved him inside and out, exactly as he was; and finally she had a way to prove it.

Obeying his plea, she returned her hand to his Spark; his raw life pulsing, crackling and thrumming beneath her fingertips as it felt her contact. She heard him give a heavy, rumbling exhale at the touch; the sound not _quite_ becoming a moan. It was a sound of relief, pure and unrestrained relief from the contact. With a loving smile, she pressed the pads of her fingers to the semi-solid teeming mass of energy and ran her fingers down it; the Spark feeling something like a balloon made out of a force field beneath her skin. It was solid like a physical wall of energy, but it was flexible; malleable. It seemed to _breath_ and react to her touch, the tendrils of lightning-like energy snaking around her fingertips; attempting to wind around her wrists as she pressed firmer.

That was when a keening, hissing whine escaped his chest plates; the noise not coming from his vocal processor, but his actual body. It was working. With a suddenly encouraged smile, she scraped her fingers along the shell of the cage before dragging her nails along the Spark itself. As a result, it crackled sharply with energy and she heard Optimus grunt unwillingly from the sensation.

For the first time, he was not objecting to her trying to bring him selfish pleasure; which proved that doing things the Cybertronian way felt _right_ to him. He didn't doubt himself in this; and it was wonderful. Taking care to be gentle, she clenched her hands and softly bit her nails into the almost plasma like surface of the Spark; and was immediately rewarded with an _incredible_ response.

His legs trembled and he was unable stifle a moan before they buckled beneath him, leaving him to cradle Tessa protectively as he fell to his knees in what appeared to be a state of rapture. "T…_Tess_…he hissed incoherently.

With a proud smile, she leaned forward and nuzzled her face into the Spark, feeling her hair turn static and the glowing tendrils trying to snake their way into her hair; tracing her neck, her face… "I love you…" she whispered into it, "So, so much…" Pressing a kiss to it, she suddenly heard a strange, mechanical noise all around her; in a tone much like the Prime's. That was when she realized that it _was_ Optimus…and he was speaking Cybertronian.

She couldn't understand a word, but God it was so amazing to hear.

Almost tentatively, she used open mouthed kisses on the energy, the matter creating a strange reaction in her mouth. The crackling energy resounded under her lips, tingling and shocking and making her feel like she'd eaten a fizzy bath-bomb. It was…intoxicating. She was _kissing_ his energy, the very life that supported the being that she loved so deeply; and it was a_ccepting_ her. Deciding to bring him to the stars before dragging him back to Earth, she began to rake her nails back and forth slowly over the Spark; gentle, but tantalizingly firm.

His free hand had dropped to the ground beside his leg as she did so, and Tessa noticed that his fingers had clenched a very deep groove into the grass; digging it up until it was nothing but a trench in the dirt.

He continued his garbled, Cybertronian whispering as she dug her fingers into the sides of his Spark's protective cage before the build-up eventually became too much; too intense. He had not felt a Spark-borne overload before, and the sensations were infinitely more concentrated than human orgasm; if his knees hadn't already buckled, they certainly would have now. Unable to ground himself from the _unearthly_ pleasure, a roar escaped him as Tessa gripped his Spark between her fingers and dragged her nails from its top to its edge; sending him reeling, _spiralling_ into the most intense overload he'd ever experienced. His head was thrown back and his optics went white from the intensity of the sensations before his roaring cry cut out and he fell backward, Tessa clutched protectively to his chest as he rode out the overload; his mind cutting a blank for a few seconds as his systems were forced to entirely reboot.

He was cycling intakes of air intensely, trying to remember how to move his fingers and how to arrange his words. The little female lying on his chest was evidently very proud of herself, because she was grinning like a Cheshire cat as she played with the now very relaxed tendrils of his Spark, "That was so sexy, Chief…" she said gently, "I've never seen you actually _lose_ yourself like that. _God_ that was intense!"

"…I…have to agree with you…" he exhaled, almost exhaustedly, "I have never…_ever_…felt intensity like that."

She shifted compliantly as his chest plates began to remerge and sealed back together, leaving her leaning comfortably against the windshields from the Peterbilt as she grinned up at his face as he lay there; watching her, "It was hot. You should do that more often."

He shot her what could only be described as the Cybertronian equivalent to a smirk before he cupped hand gently over her body to keep her warm; his head rested comfortably on the cold grass as he looked up at the stars while he spoke. "Well…seeing as to how you insist on…_experimenting_ all the time, perhaps the next time we should make it your turn."

He noticed she shifted a little before she responded, a laugh the only sound from her as she wriggled up to see his face, "Nah, that's okay. I prefer seeing _you_ get all needy and bothered. Still haven't managed to make you beg me yet though…"

An amused rumble rolled up his chest as he lifted his head to plant a large, cumbersome kiss on her head; so tiny in comparison, "Tessa…" he laughed, "You do not always have to give to me…It isn't necessary." There was a moment of contemplative silence before she looked up at him, a dead serious expression on her face and her tone leaving no room for jest.

"…I would give you everything, Optimus Prime. My heart, my body, my soul; whatever you ask from me. I'll do whatever it takes to ensure your happiness."

He felt his Spark swell with absolution at her confession, and he gently stroked a finger over the length of her body before he answered her, his voice just as serious; if not a little teasing about hers.

"And Tessa Jackson…I will have no other but you; even when the stars go out... You are mine, as I am yours." He cradled her gently against his chest, enjoying the feeling of having her close to him; as close as physically possible for a human and robot to get. Oh he meant every word; even if the stars died out and every planet disappeared, he would not let her go. He would have no other.

She was his Tessa…


	66. Breathing

**Well, sorry about the wait on this one guys; not only has work been sapping my creativity, but I was working on my Ironhide/OC Oneshot, which is now up and ready for your reading pleasure.**

**Please be warned that it is much **_**darker**_** in nature than Primary Mechanisms.**

**Anyway, enjoy the awaited chapter; OP and Tessa have their first tiff/spat, even if it IS only a small one. Also I should probably make it known that I am not exactly a fan of Sam Witwicky's character.**

**Don't get me wrong, I know that he's done some cool stuff and he has helped the Autobots save the world twice; but what irritates me is his constant desire to pretend that he ISN'T involved with the Autobots; that he seems to want to forget them and be normal.**

**I mean, how many times does a faction of freedom fighting robots have to save his butt for him to realize that he can't just toss them aside like that?**

**Also, Tessa IS aware that Sam was the one who revived Optimus, and believe me; she appreciates that (**_**for obvious reasons**_**) but her thoughts are reflecting his RECENT absence in the Autobots' lives, how he seems to have all but cast them aside to go to college and start his 'normal' life. In a way, I believe it would **_**offend**_** Tessa, because she sees how wonderful and good and deserving they are of praise and love; so Sam's lack of loyalty or commitment would definitely bother her, I think.**

**Apologies in advance for any mistakes, I'm tired…**

**ENJOY!**

Tessa had been indulging in an unhealthy dinner of pizza and Skittles; watching an episode of Big Bang Theory, when her cell phone had rung. She hadn't been expecting anyone to call her, so she was surprised to find that it had been Mikaela.

Having answered muted the television and answering the phone, the teenage girl had gone on a rampaging tangent that Tess could hardly understand, but one hurried phrase from the garble made itself poignant to her; and she addressed it with great confusion.

"Whoa, whoa, Mikaela slow down!" she exclaimed, trying to calm to girl, "What do you _mean_ you broke up with Sam?"

A heavy, teary breath was heard from the other end of the line as Mikaela finally tried to control and calculate her words, "_I mean…I __broke__up__ with Sam; I told him it was over. Tess…what have I done?_"

"-Hang on Mikaela," Tessa reasoned, feeling her heart breaking for the poor girl, "Let's just back up a little bit, I'm listening to you; okay?"

She heard a sniff on the other end of the line, "_Okay…_"

"Good. Now let's think this through slowly, _why_ did you break up with Sam. What were the reasons that made you want to?"

"_Well…_" Mikaela took a breath and continued, finally calming down a little bit, "_The…the distance was a big thing, Tessa…I just…__missed__ him all the time…I couldn't do it anymore…_"

Tessa propped herself up and crossed her legs; resting her elbow on her knee to hold the phone to her ear. Taking a sip of her soda, she ran a hand through her hair and nodded to herself. "Okay, what else; what made you want to end it?"

There was a brief silence on the line before Tess heard her take another thick breath and continue, "_Sam told me he didn't want to be a part of the war anymore…That when he finished college he wanted to find a job and just be…normal. Tess I – I don't w__ant__ normal! I want to be with the Autobots! You're a mechanic, you know what that's like right? Could you honestly go back to working on a normal car after fixing Optimus, or Ironhide?_"

Tessa gave a secret smile; she knew _exactly_ what it was like. She could never return to working on cars that couldn't talk back; even if the talking ones _did_ backchat every now and again… But as a fellow mechanic, she could fully sympathize with the young girl's passion for fixing the Autobots' superior makes; it was tinkering on a whole other level than normal mechanics.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Micky. They're just different; you were the one who always worked on Bumblebee, right?"  
>"<em>Exactly. But I don't think Sam wants to be a part of the war…<em>"

Tess made a confirmative noise, understanding what Mikaela meant. Optimus had told her once before that Sam didn't want to be involved in a war that wasn't his to fight; it was understandable, but she couldn't say she appreciated the idea of Sam being so willing to turn his back. Still, he was only a kid; he had a lot of growing up to do and a lot of lessons he still needed to learn.

It was just a part of life.

"_It's not that he doesn't love the Autobots, I just think he wants to be normal. But Tess; I don't want that, I could never go back to the way things were. Sam and I are just…different now…We're different people; does that even make __sense__? God, I sound so stupid!_"

"No you don't, Mikaela." Tess assured her, "People change and sometimes they drift apart; especially with distance like you and Sam have had to deal with! When my parents divorced, it was really hard. I thought my brothers and I had done something wrong, but you know what my Mom told me?"

"…_What?_"

Tess gave a smile to herself at the memory of a very long, tearful and in-depth conversation she'd had with her mother shortly after the split; the advice that she'd given her that had stuck with her throughout her life. In fact, it had pulled her through several of her more shattering breakups as she'd grown into an adult.

"She told me that sometimes people change, and not always for the worse. They grow, Mikaela and maybe it's not always in the same direction; just like trees. My mom said to me that sometimes they'll grow and spread their branches; and when they spread, trees can choke each other. Fighting for the same light, she said. I think maybe you and Sam have just outgrown each other, and that you have to spread the branches alone."

"_That's…wow; your mom really said that to you? That's…really deep, Tess._"

The older girl laughed and picked at her nails habitually, a pestering quirk she tended to do when she was on the phone to people, "Yeah, I know right? She's always spouting stuff like that; she's really…I dunno, not _spiritual_, but she just likes to see things in a different light than everyone else. Anyway, has it made you see things any better?"

The teenager gave a heavy sigh, but it was a little easier this time; somewhat more relaxed. Obviously she was still upset, after all she'd been with Sam for a few years already; it wasn't exactly a short term relationship that she'd ended.

"_A little bit, thanks… But now that I'm not…__with__ Sam, Bee doesn't have a reason to guard me anymore; I want him to go back to N.E.S.T and be with the other Autobots._"

Tessa's eyes widened a little bit and she gasped, having seen the playful friendship between the Autobot and Sam's 'mate' as they would call her. "You want Bumblebee to just…leave like that?"

"_No, no! Of course I don't; I just…don't see why he should be stuck looking after me, I don't have a tie to Sam anymore…You know? God, I don't __want__ to send him away, he's my friend and I'm going to MISS him…but he deserves to be doing what he was sent here for. And that's either guarding Sam, or fighting alongside the rest of the Autobots._"

Tess turned a thought over in her mind, a sudden realization occurring to her. "But…that means that you'd be without the Autobots either way, Mikaela."

"…_I know._"

The older girl gave a heavy exhale, realizing that the teenager understood what she was saying, but she was selfless enough to be prepared to let her only connection to the Autobots go; to do what he was meant to do in the first place. Her mouth ran dry as Tess imagined how _she_ would feel if she had to give up the aliens that had become her second family; and her heart ached at the thought.

It had to be killing Mikaela…

Tessa's inability to see someone suffer was making her chest ache; this girl had so much left to give to these robots, she couldn't let her be kicked away just because she wasn't romantically involved with their friend anymore. She _wouldn't_ allow it.

"Micky, I've got an idea…but I need to look into it first. If it pulls through, then I want you to keep next – hang on, let me check…" Hauling herself up off the couch and heading into the kitchen, she located the schedule diary on her countertop and flicking the next week that she had written down, "Next Friday night; keep that open okay? We'll go and see a movie and spend some time just…girl time, okay?"

"…_That sounds…really great Tess, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. I'm sorry you had to get stuck with this, but I don't have…a whole lot of girlfriends; you know?_"

Tessa laughed earnestly before shaking her head to herself; astounded at just how similar she and Mikaela were in a lot of ways; minus the 'being hot' part that Tess had never gotten into. "It's fine, Kay. I'm the same; don't worry. Anyway, I'll talk to you later; I have a phone call that I have to make. See you Friday night?"

"_Deal. Bye Tess…_"

"Bye Mikaela."

Hanging up the phone with a click, she gave a heavy sigh and placed a hand over her heart sadly, "Poor Mikaela…" she mused quietly, before lifting her cell phone and scrolling through the names until she reached Lennox's. Hitting 'dial' she placed it to her ear and leaned against the counter with an exhale; the air lifting her bangs off her forehead which made her glare irritatingly at them.

"_This is Lennox_."

"Hey, Will. It's Tessa." she said with a smile, "Are you still at base?"

She heard a good-humoured, sarcastic chuckle resound on the other end of the line before he replied, "_Of course I am, Tessa; I practically __live__ here!_"

She joined him in a laugh before she spoke again, a smile across her face at hearing her friend's voice, "I guess you do. Listen, I needed to ask you a favour; if Optimus is there could you ask him to come and meet me at my house? Please?"

There was a brief shuffling over the phone before she heard Lennox speaking to someone, repeating what she had asked of him. There was a strange, piercing crackle over the line and she suddenly heard Optimus' worried voice; clearly he had tapped the line when Lennox had told him what she'd said, "_Are you alright? Is something wrong?_"

Her chest swelled at hearing his voice, quelling his fears immediately, "No, no! Everything's fine, Chief; I just wanted to talk to you about something, but I didn't want to do it over the phone. Are you able to come here; if you're busy that's fi-?"

"_-I am leaving now. I will see you soon._"

She hear the same piercing crackle as Optimus disconnected from the line and she heard Lennox laugh, clearly having heard the entire exchange. "_Gotta tell you, Tess…you have that massive alien robot wrapped around your pinky._"

She couldn't refrain from giggling at the observation, and found herself pressing her fingers to her temple in an attempt to hide her blush in her palm; despite the fact that there was nobody around to see it. "Well, He's got me wrapped around his too. Or…he _would_ if I were actually big enough." She laughed again, "Anyway thanks, Will. I'm going to go finish my dinner and wait for him. I'll see you later, okay?"

"_Sure thing, Tess. See you tomorrow._"

"Night."

With a heavy sigh, she put the phone on the counter and ran a hand through her hair; mulling over the idea that she had in her head.

She knew that it would be hurting Mikaela, the idea of having to detach completely from the Autobots that had more than likely grown to fascinate the teenage mechanic. Tess didn't want her to _have_ to leave, because in her theory; they were Mikaela's friends too. Why should she have to separate from them because she and Sam weren't together anymore.

It wasn't that she dislike the guy, she respected the fact that he had indeed saved the world alongside Optimus and the others; he'd done it _twice_ apparently. But what she _didn't_ respect, was the complete lack of commitment or loyalty to his friends. She'd never seen him visit the Autobots, and Optimus had told her on several occasions that the boy refused to be a part of the war. Tessa understood where Sam was coming from, truly she did; but to her the idea of turning her back on the people she loved like he had…it just wasn't _doable_ for her.

She didn't understand how he could choose to walk away from them.

With a shrug to herself, she sat down on her couch and unmuted her television to finish watching her show. What Sam chose to do was his business, but in her opinion she didn't believe that Mikaela should suffer because of it; it just wasn't fair. Picking up a piece of pizza, she looked at it seriously and pursed her lips before speaking to it playfully.

"Now where were we?"

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Optimus had rumbled up to Tessa's driveway, he'd found her already seated on the steps; smiling at him happily. He noticed that she was dressed in a pair of thick tracksuit pants, her work boots and an oversized red and blue checked flannel; obviously to combat the seasonally cold weather, her lawn had started to collect frost at night. She stood up and headed over to him with an expression that made the truck's engine rumble happily. She always looked so _content_ to see him; and it was wonderful.

She approached the truck and placed a hand on the grill with a grin as his headlights flooded her, "Hey, we match!" she giggled, gesturing to the red and blue print of her shirt; hearing his chuckle rumble from the engine.

"And it looks wonderful."

She snorted, "You're such a charmer," she teased; trailing her fingers along the grill as she made her way to the driver's side door, "let's go for a drive, ladies man."

The door popped open for her and she climbed into the cab of the vehicle, feeling the seat belt slide itself snugly around her chest just as the heating vents came on; rolling out of the driveway and down the street into the dark. The familiar feeling of safety blanketed her as she rested her head against the back of the seat before he spoke to her, "Where would you like to go?"

She snickered, "Chief, you ask that every time we go for a drive, and I always tell you; it doesn't matter. I just like _being_ with you!"

The seat belt tightened a little bit, almost like an embrace before he gave that sexy rumbling laugh that made her heart swell every single time she heard it. It was the sound of complete contentment; of him being completely at ease in a way that only happened around her. She was proud that she could make him forget what troubled him, even if it was only for a little while.

"So…what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked finally.

The little female gently traced shapes into the leather of the seat before she looked up into the rear view mirror, knowing he could see her this way, "Have you…spoken to Sam at all?"

Optimus was silent for a moment before he replied, and the slightly distant tone in his voice only confirmed her suspicions that the teenager had probably not attempted to contact them for some time now, "Not recently, I'm afraid. Why? Has something happened to Sam?"

"No, no. Well…_sort of_. Sam and Mikaela broke up."

"…You mean…they ceased being…mates?" he asked, clearly still disturbed by the lack of commitment the human race had to one another, "But what does that have to do with you…wanting to speak to me?"

"Actually, Mikaela called me. She was upset; but I think she understands that it's probably the best way for them to be… The thing is though, Mikaela is a lot like me; she's fascinated by the Autobots. With her and Sam being separated, social etiquette sort of requires them to not speak, or hang out with the same people. So Mikaela has told Bumblebee that she thinks he should come back to base with you guys. She says that he doesn't have any obligation to guard her for Sam anymore."

Optimus gave a perturbed murmur before he responded, "In logic that is true. She is no longer the mate of our ally; and so the 'duty' is no longer required…but it does not feel right to – what's that term humans use? – _cut_ her off."

Tessa tapped the seat lightly with her fingers as she focused on the rear view mirror, "That's exactly what I thought! She doesn't deserve to be cast out like that! She's your friend too; and Mikaela _wants_ to be around you guys, I mean; where the heck has Sam been for the few months-"

"-Tessa." He stated shortly, sounding a little annoyed, "_That_ statement is not fair. Sam is our friend; and he has fought alongside us despite his desire not to. You do not know his as we do."

She shifted her gaze from the mirror and rubbed her shoulder awkwardly, a little upset that she had obviously offended him; Optimus had never been annoyed at _her_ before, "I'm sorry…" she murmured, "You're right; it was wrong for me to say that. I guess I just…don't understand how he would want to be away from you guys. I mean; I couldn't _bear_ the thought of being distant from you in the way he has. Doesn't it _hurt_ you to think that he's trying to leave you all behind him?"

"…I don't…want to discuss this with you. He has done great things for us, and it isn't your place to disregard them like that."

"But Chief…he's disregarding _you_…"

"-_Enough_, Tessa." He snapped, causing her eyes to widen briefly before she narrowed them to herself, looking out the window with an annoyed expression as she placed her hands on the steering wheel with a heavy sigh. The physical gesture was supportive, despite the fact that she was irritated.

"Fine." She muttered, "Anyway, I didn't ask you out here to talk about Sam-"

"-I certainly hope not."

Ignoring him, she continued, "-I wanted to talk to you about Mikaela. I know she wants to help; and I know that she doesn't want to lose you guys because of this breakup…"

Optimus' tone was a little softer now that they had got off the topic of Sam's recent lack of presence. It wasn't that he didn't understand where Tessa was coming from, it was simply that Sam was important to him; they had been through so much together. It had been wrong of him to lash out at Tessa, but the fact of the matter was that he _had_ noticed the boy's reluctance to associate with them; he wasn't a fool, after all. He supposed it was just too much of a sting to face the reality that perhaps their first ever human ally, no longer wanted to be there ally.

"You sound like you already have a suggestion?" he asked her, slightly moulding the leather of the upholstery around her skin in an almost apologetically soft embrace. She nodded and looked up to the mirror again.

"I think you guys should hire Mikaela at N.E.S.T. I mean, think about it; she's got as much mechanical capability as I do! Not to mention that she _already_ knows all about the big 'alien robot secret' that you guys have to hide from the public; and Ratchet could probably use the extra hand."

"But Tessa," he said endearingly, "_you_ are our mechanic. What makes you think they will intend to hire someone else?"

She gave a shrug and traced her fingers over the steering wheel tenderly, "Well for starters, I _know_ and extra set of capable hands wouldn't go astray, second of all; if they like, she can split shifts with me. Half and half, you know? I just…really think she needs this. Come on, Chief…_please_?"

He was silent for a moment, mulling the idea over in his processors. Mikaela was certainly capable, there was no doubt; and especially under Tessa and Ratchets mentoring she could quite possible become a valuable asset to N.E.S.T's repair squads. It wasn't as though the military didn't have the funds to hire _one_ more mechanic. Not to mention that as someone already 'in' on their secret, there was no risk of having to hire an outsider as they had with Tessa.

Not that he wasn't grateful that they _had_ hired the human now dear to him.

A heavy sigh sounded from the speakers as he made up his mind, "I approve of the idea," he said softly, "however I will need to speak to Lennox and the Joint Chiefs of Staff before I can agree to it. But rest assured, I will try to convince them to take her into N.E.S.T."

She smiled broadly and wrapped her arms around the steering wheel to hug him, "Thank you, Optimus…" she murmured.

Her touch was so gentle and genuine; so loving…he immediately felt a pang of guilt at having raised his voice at her; she had only been concerned for his feelings. "I am sorry that I was so short with you before. Please, do not let it reflect on my feelings for you, Tessa."

To his surprise, she gave a giggle as she nuzzled her nose into the red Autobot emblem on the steering wheel. "Guess we just had our first fight, huh?"

He chuckled gently, "I suppose we did."

She gave another giggle and trailed her hands along the edge of the wheel before resting them against the dashboard where the speedometer was. She was contemplatively quiet for a few seconds before she looked up at the rear view mirror.

"Does that mean you want to have make-up sex?"

A sputtering noise was heard from the speakers as the truck locked its brakes and skidded harshly to the shoulder of the road. "What? T-_Tessa_!" he choked.

"Just _kidding_, Chief; relax!" she giggled, patting the dashboard playfully, "Anyway, I appreciate you looking into it; I really do."

"For you, Tessa…anything." He murmured gently, tucking the seatbelt around her a little snugger, "Would you like me to take you home yet?"

She shook her head with a smile and ran her nails up the leather of the seat before resting them on the headrest with a relaxed sigh. Closing her eyes she smiled and rested her cheek against the leather.

"Nah, not yet," she murmured, "let's just drive."


	67. Let The Flames Begin

**Well guys, I realized that I have evidently been ignoring Graham! I didn't mean to, I just got so focused on Optimus and Tessa that I sort of forgot…**

**And Galloway has also been absent, mostly for two reasons.**

**I just don't give a shit about his hahaha**

**Because he just sort of disappeared from the movies, I just plain forgot about him. Oops.**

**Anyway, this chapter is basically me putting Galloway into the story, just so that I have an excuse to write him out. I may go back and refine it a little more at a later date, but right now I won't. Because it's is currently MY BIRTHDAY! :D**

**Yeah, I just wanted to pump out a chapter for you guys so that you can celebrate it with me by having a nice, shiny new chapter to read! So yeah, I'm 21 today guys. I'm legal to drink in the U.S. (**_**Even though the drinking age here in Australia is 18, and I don't drink anyway hahahaha**_**) so anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.**

**By the way, detailed reviews about the parts you liked/what lines and or scenes were your favourites, TOTALLY make the best birthday presents. Just saying ;P**

**ENJOY GUYS! I LOVE YOU ALL BUNCHES!**

"What…what do you _mean_ Galloway's coming here?"

Lennox, who was sitting at the cafeteria table with Tess, Epps and Graham, who had been incredibly absent of late, shrugged apologetically before he spoke. "Apparently he took a few months' vacation after the whole Egypt ordeal. He said that being 'thrown out of a plane' caused him to take stress leave. He's coming here to do a national security inspection. It's not a big deal; just a pain because it's Galloway."

The little mechanic swallowed thickly, rubbing her temples with her palm nervously.

"But…you guys remember what happened the last time I...uh…_spoke_ to him, right?"

Graham gave a laugh at her, his English accent gentle amongst the American gruff, "Oh, we remember; believe me." Epps and Lennox seemed to smile at the memory before Graham spoke again, "I actually didn't think that such…_offensive_ phrases could come out of someone like you."

The three men laughed, but Epps noticed that her fingers tightened around her fork defensively as she glanced uninterestedly at her plate, remembering the event as she mumbled at them, "He called Chief scrap metal…As though he just…had the _right_." Shaking her head to try and shake the negative feeling, she looked up at them seriously, "When is he getting here?"

The three men exchanged looks before the dark skinned soldier checked his watch, "Half an hour maybe?"  
>"WHAT?" she squeaked, "You didn't think I'd want time to <em>prepare<em>?"

"…We didn't want you to freak out."

Tessa snorted at them with a sigh; she couldn't be angry at them, they'd had the best of intentions. "Well trust me, I'm freaking out. After I abused him last time…he threatened my job; can he get me fired?"

Lennox laughed whole heartedly, confusing her a little before he finally clarified his amusement, "Tess, even if you _weren't_ a one of a kind, Cybertronian-like mechanical mind; do you really think Optimus would _let_ them take you away?"

"I…" she stopped suddenly realizing that he was right, "…No. He wouldn't."

Lennox didn't miss the secret little smile that pinched at the side of her mouth, a tell-tale sign of the relationship between the mechanic and the alien leader. He had to admit, looking back to when he'd hired Tessa, nobody could have suspected just how much she would grow to mean to Optimus; to _all_ the Autobots. She'd developed such close ties to them, and Lennox actually shuddered to think what any one of them would do if someone tried to hurt her; whether it was out of duty to the Prime or not. Tess didn't see it, but it was possible that she was among one of the most guarded humans on the planet.

Even Lennox, who had a close friendship with Ironhide, was not as fiercely guarded as she was. She was important to their leader, and they would defend her because of it. In fact, the thought of Galloway coming onto base and threatening Tessa actually _amused_ him, because he highly doubted that any of the bots, Optimus in particular, would take kindly to the act.

"Well, " Tess said with a heavy, nervous sigh, "if his royal ass-tastic-ness is going to be here; then I'm sure as hell not dealing with him until I've had my Skittles."

Pushing her seat back from the table, she dumped her rubbish into the trashcan opposite them and rolled her shoulders, suddenly a lot more tense that she had been at the start of lunch.

"I'm assuming you're not going to let me just hide in my workshop until he leaves…are you?"

Graham grinned at her cheekily, "Not a chance; if we have to put up with him, then so do you. Go do some tinkering if it makes you feel better, we'll come and get you."

She rolled her eyes sarcastically, "Oh _goody_; I just can't wait."

With a nonchalant wave, she left the highly amused soldiers behind and headed to her locker; punching in the combination and wrenching it open. She hadn't been lying about needing the Skittles. She was gonna need a LOT of them to put up with Galloway; whatever he did.

Lord be merciful.

-0-0-0-0-0-

True to their word, Lennox, Epps and Graham were waiting outside her hangar like a trio of highly amused monkeys, simultaneously trying to both comfort and annoy her in the wake of the security Director's visit. Apparently he was already in the Autobots' briefing hangar discussing the Egypt battle with them; and although Tessa suggested they not interrupt, Lennox wasn't having it. The soldiers needed to be in the hangar, and Graham had reminded her that as Optimus' romantic interest, she had a duty to be there for him to.

When this was pointed out, she stopped arguing; telling herself that she needed to suck this up so that she could be there for him, regardless of Galloway being there.

As they entered the doors of the massive hangar, she noticed that all of the Autobots had gathered for the meeting; seeing as this was pretty much a tactical meeting between the warriors, and Earth's national security advisor…no matter how much of a dick said advisor was. The conversation ceased as the four of them entered the room, all eyes and optics being trained on them.  
>"Sorry we're late," Epps called up, heading over to the walkway ladder and motioning for Tess to climb up, "what were we talking about?"<p>

Galloway, who was standing atop the metal platform in front of Optimus and Ironhide, turned to Lennox and called down to him with a rather abrupt tone, "I'm afraid this isn't something that we can discuss in front of…a civilian." He said sharply, casting a glance at Tessa.

"Tessa's our mechanic, Director." Lennox replied with forced respectful tone, "She's cleared to be here."

The mechanic in question, had now reached the platform and was standing near one of the computers, a little ways from Galloway as she caught gazes with him; both of them clearly not amiable towards one another. He narrowed his gaze just a fraction before turning back to Lennox once more.

"I'm sorry Major, but I must have missed the memo where we allow _civilians_ to listen in on classified information regarding-"

"-She stays." Optimus cut in.

His tone was not hostile or angry in any way, in fact it was gentle and calm; just firm. There was no room for discussion with a tone like that. Clearly irritated, the Director shot her another look from his peripheral vision and cleared his throat to continue.

Apparently they had been discussing strategy and protective methods, in regard to the fact that Megatron was in hiding; but would not remain there. Eventually he was going to crawl out from under his rock and make a strike, and they needed as much warning as possible for that to be prevented and countered. They had not had luck with trying to tail rogue Decepticons, given that someone a little higher up the food chain was evidently calling the shots. The names 'Soundwave' and 'Starscream' were mentioned, but they meant nothing to Tessa.

She had never seen a Decepticon; not that she really wanted to anyway.

Throughout the duration of the meeting, Tess listened; she listened hard. She took in as much information and as many details as she could, because she wanted to know what it was that her bots were up against; what the threat to her planet was. While Ironhide explained to Galloway the situation with Decepticon tracking, the little mechanic was struck by a thought.

"Hey 'Hide," she said curiously, "what about Energon signatures? Like what happened with Optimus; the readings of Energon that you guys guard; can weaker Decepticons guard theirs too-?"

"-You shouldn't…_concern_ yourself with military strategies, Miss Jackson." Galloway interrupted, glancing between her and Ironhide. However the massive black mech was watching Tessa curiously as he responded.

"-Actually, you might be onto something, Squishy." He rasped thoughtfully, evidently contemplating something for a moment before he glanced up at the Prime, "Optimus, she has a point. Weaker 'Cons are incapable of guarding their signatures; we'd be able to detect and prevent an uprising if we had Energon readers. Tess, that's not a bad idea-"

The Director, who was clearly irritated about having his authority and opinion ignored, tried to draw their attention again, "Excuse me! Can we focus on something for a minute here, this woman is a _civilian_. She's not an analyst, she's not one of our soldiers; she doesn't belong in this briefing-"

Tessa was fed up with his bull crap already. He was acting completely unprofessional and unofficial, but she knew that it was because he had a beef with her over what she had done to him at the New Jersey base; this wasn't some office squabble among colleagues…it was personal dislike. And she was so ready to fight him back this time, all the harsh things he'd said to Lennox that day and all the _awful_ comments he'd made about Optimus and the bots…

With them flashing in her head, she felt her anger boil up and she had cut off his reprimand.

"If you have a _problem_ with me Director Galloway, I'd be more than happy to take it outside and settle this on the tarmac, considering how _well_ you did last time."

The pathetic little man had a face of rage; his skin going red with anger as he turned against the railing and braced one hand against it while he addressed her. "I don't know _why_, but my efforts to follow through with _terminating_ your employment here were bumped back. As a civilian, you know too much, and as a mechanic; you're expendable-"

"-You organic little glitch." Ironhide barked at Galloway, "_We_ were the ones to deny it. She is _our_ mechanic, and we get the right to choose the members of our cause. Your position of power is irrelevant to us."

Tessa felt confusion spark through her briefly, "Wait…he actually _tried_ to make the effort to get rid of me? Optimus, did you know about this?"

Casting a brief, neutral look at Galloway, the Prime placed a hand on the railing in front of her and moved to be eye level with her, "There were claims filed to see you expelled from N.E.S.T's services; but when Lennox noticed this, it was brought to our attention and I knocked back the requests. None of the Autobots wished for your services with us to terminate, Tessa; you are irreplaceable to us."

Evidently unconcerned with their present company, he lifted a hand and curled his fingers; comfortingly tracing a knuckle over the side of her face and body. Instinctively she bent her head to the metal and felt that familiar safety of his presence, "You should have _told_ me." She insisted, placing a hand on the cold metal of his finger and looking up at him with an affectionate, appreciative expression; understanding why he hadn't. Before Optimus could make any reply, a condescending laugh broke their brief moment and her attention was drawn to Galloway, who was clearly in completely amused disbelief.

"Unbelievable. Now I see…_this_ is why they won't fire you? Because the leader is _sweet on you_? Major! What is the _meaning_ of this; it's some kind of a joke yes?"

Lennox narrowed his eyes, not liking the way the jackass insisted on grinding their mechanic into dust on the floor, simply because she had emasculated him in defence of the one she cared about; he'd have never believed a man in a position of such power could be so _petulant_. "No sir. Tess is Optimus' partner; it's been that way for a while."

Galloway gave another sarcastic laugh before looking at her scrutinisingly, "It makes sense now. Talk about trying to get ahead in life, am I right? By sleeping with their leader?"

Tessa glared at him and moved away from Optimus to stand directly in front of Galloway, face to face as she bit back the string of profanities she wanted to spit at him. Instead she tried to remain professional, she wouldn't fall down to his level. "It's not like that. And _that's_ none of your _business_!" She hissed defensively, "I _love_ him."

"My, my Miss Jackson…I've heard of people sleeping with their bosses for job security, but a robotic _alien_? And calling it love?" his eyes narrowed spitefully and he snapped at her authoritively, "That's just _sick_."

All of them saw her flinch; as though Galloway had physically struck her across the face. Her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth gritted as her fists clenched by her sides. Lennox saw her crack her eyes open and glance at Optimus before she faced the Director again, and the soldier noticed a tear streak from the corner of her eye as she tried to compose herself. Her teeth were grinded, but she managed to keep her voice as a level hiss for her next words.

"I don't _care_ what anyone thinks." She shuffled back a few steps before gently touching Optimus' hand (_which he still had placed on the rail_) then she looked back at Galloway with a glare that could have frozen Hell over, "Especially not someone like _you_." Then she descended the ladder and headed towards the exit rather hastily.

"Tess-!" Lennox called out, grabbing her sleeve gently before she reached the doors, ignoring all the eyes focused on them, "Tess wait-"

She placed a hand on his grip and patted his fingers, looking at him with a grin that was beaming and happy, and completely _fake_. Her eyes had tears in them, and she couldn't hide them; Tess had always been incapable of hiding how she felt. "I'm- I'm okay." She choked out desperately, "I just – need some air. I'll see you guys after the meeting."  
>Pulling herself from his grip, she left the hangar in barely a moment.<p>

All eyes turned reactively to Optimus, who was watching the exit that Tessa had just used to take her leave. His expression was one of stunned shock, having just watching the girl all but _flee_ from the room. He gave a sharp, exhaling hiss as he turned back to the Director, his expression tense but professional. Those that knew him well would have been able to see the stance of his shoulders was rigid and his optics glowed a little brighter than before; fuelled by irritation and anger at this human that had so _maliciously_ insulted his mate. But given that, despite Galloway being an unpleasant human to deal with, he was still in a position of authority that demanded respect. And Optimus would act appropriately for now, but this was the last amount of hospitality that the Prime would provide.

"Director." He said sharply, his professional tone underlying an absolutely _livid_ dislike. "Let us conclude this briefing quickly. In future, should you require information or tactical insight from our soldiers; you will appoint a liaison to represent in your stead-"

"That won't be necessary," Galloway replied professionally, seeming completely unfazed by any of the previous events, something that annoyed Optimus just a little more than it should have, "I'm perfectly capable of doing it myse-"

"-You misunderstand my point, Director." The Autobot leader cut in firmly, raising his hand to wrap it around the railing of the walkway. "After this briefing, you are no longer _welcome_ on this base; nor around my soldiers. You will appoint a liaison, and you will not return here."

"You don't have the authority to order that of me, Autobot." Galloway snapped indignantly, as though he had any say in what the Prime could do.

In response, a sharp crunching was heard as the guardrail of the walkway dented under his angry grasp; his optics whirring as they narrowed to focus on the official. Epps, Lennox and Graham all simultaneously noticed Galloway's skin go pale and he swallowed thickly before answering in what he tried to make sound like an authoritive and professional tone.

"I see…"

"Let us be done with this." Optimus growled in response, turning his attention to focus on the briefing at hand.

-0-0-0-0-0-

It was only about an hour after she had left, that she realized the meeting had concluded. She was sitting at the back of one of N.E.S.T's disused hangars, earnestly hoping that nobody found her. She didn't like the idea that she had made a scene at the briefing; she didn't like that Galloway had managed to upset her, and that she had _let_ him.

_You're better than that, Teresa_! She thought harshly to herself, _Nobody can make you feel inferior unless you __let__ them_!

But the Director's comments had hurt her. She'd meant everything she'd said about Optimus, she loved him; she would never use him like that, and he _knew_ that. Which was why she didn't understand how she had allowed herself to get so riled up, to react to his baiting.

_That's just sick_.

The phrase replayed itself in her head, and every time Tessa felt her heart clench a little in distress. Was that how people perceived her affections for Optimus? It didn't change anything, she'd never stop feeling for him the way that she did; but it pained her to think that so many others didn't see the Autobots as _people_, beings with feelings and emotions just like theirs.

They were _her_ people; she understood them better than she'd ever understood any human before, they were her family. She couldn't bear the thought of someone trying to belittle that; to try and take it away from her and make her feel like it didn't mean anything… Another hot tear trailed down her cheek as she brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them; drawing them close to her and putting her head on her knees as she cried. So wrapped up she was in her own embarrassing upset that she didn't hear Optimus approaching her; and she didn't noticed until he was bent down in front of her on one knee.

"Tess." He murmured gently.

With a gasp, she lifted her head from her arms and looked up at him with bleary eyes. Her hair was a tangled, wispy mess and her eyes were red; it pained him so much to see her so upset. "Ch-Chief!" she choked out, hurriedly trying to wipe her eyes, "How…how did you _find_ me here…?"

He raised his hand and cradled a finger against the side of her body as he bent his head to her; nuzzling into her form as his voice dropped to a gentle tone, "You bear my signature, Tess; I can _smell_ you."

"Oh yeah…" she murmured distantly, cupping a hand over his finger as he cradled her. The sad inflection in her tone worried him; he seethed at the thought of Galloway having offended her so, nobody had the _right_.

"Talk to me," he pleaded, "let me make it right."

She bit her lip to keep her tears in check at the begging tone in his voice; she ached at the fact that it sounded like _he'd_ been the one to make her cry. "Don't…" she whispered, bringing both of her hands to his face as she desperately traced the curves and nicks in the metal, "You didn't do anything wrong; you don't have to make _anything_ right!"

His voice dropped to an aggressive growl as he thought back to the event, "He had no authority to say those things to you; he had no _right_. Tess, do not think for a moment on those things he said."

She shook her head, "I love you Optimus. Nothing changes that… I know the things he said…were wrong."

He gave a heavy, hissing sigh as an oxygen intake decompressed in his chest; pressing her body closer to his face desperately as he rumbled, "Then why are you crying…?"

She felt her eyes well up and her heart swell heavily as she wrapped as much of him into her arms as she could, "Because it _hurts_, Optimus! How could _this_ be wrong, when I love you so much? People won't always understand; they don't _see_ what we do…what we feel." She pressed a kissed to his metal lip and gave a choke, "_God_ I wish we were the same size sometimes…Not just with some human Holoform. I just- I just wish I could kiss you as _you_…"

She shook her head to try and will away the tears before she planted several more, rather desperate-for-distraction type kisses on the plate of his lip. Her word stuck with him, and with the thought in his head, he decided to try something.

The human Holoforms were a representation of the real them, but what about a _direct_ representation?

"Tessa," he said gently, "move back. I want to show you something."

Obediently, she released him; her expression confused as he backed away from her. However as she saw him shift into the Peterbilt, she suspected what he was doing.  
>"No, Chief-" she choked thickly, "I told you! No Holoform, <em>please<em>! It's not _you-_"

"-Just watch…" He told her gently from the grill.

A loud, generator sounding zap was heard; a blue streak of electrical energy creating the base of a form. Tessa watched in deliberation, waiting to see the human Holoform appear before her. But this one…this one seemed wider, taller; more angular…

As the Holoform started to solidify, she realized that he had projected a scaled down version of the _real_ him. He still stood over 6 foot tall, but he was proportionately built like the original; with the angular blue and red flamed plating and his glowing optics; he was still Optimus, just…fun-sized.

"Ch…Chief…" she whispered in disbelief, a tear sliding from her cheek as she dropped off the crates and moved towards him. With shaking fingers, she reached up and pressed her hand to the plates of his chest; seeing her necklace still secured between them. "This is…how?"

Protectively, the scaled down Holoform wrapped his arms around her form; his fingers interlocking around her as he bent his head down to nuzzle into her hair. "It doesn't matter." He murmured, "Tessa, do not let a word the Director said affect you, not one _word_. You are my Tessa; and nothing you could ever feel is wrong."

Unable to restrain her desire to show him that she _didn't_ feel wrong about him, she dug her fingers underneath the plating of his chest, causing him to lift his head with a sharp intake. Taking the opportunity, she lifted her hands to cradle his face; catching gaze with his optics sternly. Looking at him intently, she licked her bottom lip in anticipant trepidation before she spoke, "I _love_ you. Galloway won't change that."

Then her mouth fell to his in a kiss.

It was innocent and gentle; not a heated kiss, given that his metal matter still made it cumbersome and difficult. But she was able to cradle his face in her hands, and his fingers (_his almost real fingers_) were able to twine themselves into her hair. He wasn't soft like the human Holoform, he was solid and angular, but he was still warm. His Spark was still there, and it was so comforting and loving that she could have stayed there forever. The digits of his fingers clicked around her, and she could hear she shifts and hisses of his joints as he caged her in his grasp.

Pulling back from the awkward and _wonderful_ kiss, her slender, oil-stained fingers trailed the Cybertronian markings on his face before she raised her arms over his massive metal shoulders and embraced him; her chin resting against the junction of his throat while she cupped the back of his head. His strong, geometric arms cradled her with all the care of a saint and he lifted her from the floor; fully and easily supporting her weight against him as he held her firmly against his Spark.

As he held her, Tessa felt her heart swell with so much love and devotion that it felt like her ribcage was going to crack from being too small to contain it all. There was no way on God's green earth that this could be wrong, or twisted, or _sick_. Love was love in any form, and she had found it within him; despite all odds they had found each other.

_Yep_, she thought stubbornly as she planted a kiss at his neck onto the sensitive protoform beneath it, _Galloway can __shove__it_.

**Just to let you guys know, Primary Mechanisms will NOT be turning into one of those intense, sticky, mech-o-phelia stories with direct human/mech sex. It just won't. I thought I'd let you guys know that, since one of my reviewers was concerned about it.**

**I'm just putting in moments like this for now because it shows acceptance at different levels and stages. **

**Hope you guys enjoyed xx**


	68. Feels Like Tonight

**SORRY ABOUT THE WAAAIIITT!**

**I know you guys hate me for the slower updates at the moment; I've been trying to find the time to write for you guys, honest I have! But Megatron and the Plot Fairy seem to have stage a coup and tried to overthrow me. My writer's block has been a BITCH lately.**

**Hopefully that won't go on for too much longer, because in the next few chapters (**_**after the little Christmas Arc we've developed**_**) there will be a little more movement in the plotline. After all; Tess hasn't encountered any Decepticons yet; and I think it's about time that changed ;D hehehe.**

**Oh, also…in regard to a few queries that my WONDERFUL reviewers have been asking; YES, I realize where Diego Gargia's base is. However I was unable to find said information until AFTER I had started the story. Apparently it's somewhere off the coast of India, but considering this is the world of fanfiction….**

**Cut me a little slack, okay guys? **

**I try REALLY hard to make this story as 'realistic' as I can, given the fictional content. I really, truly TRY; I look stuff up, try to research stuff before including it. So let's just PRETEND that Diego Garcia is within driving distance on American soil, please? The information eluded me until after I'd set up the story, so I can't change it now.**

**ALSO****: A lot of you have been mentioning to me about a story called Cruise Control by **_**Commander Nova**_**. I want you all to know that she HAD my permission to use the basic concept of Primary Mechanisms for that story, she ASKED me and I allowed her.**

**While I am aware that there were a few chapters that are quite close to mine, I've discussed this with her and she has been trying REALLY HARD to make it more of her own; more original.**

**She's working really hard on the story, and she has my full support, so please guys; no more messages about 'someone might be copying your story' okay? I **_**SINCERELY**_** appreciate you guys trying to look out for me, I really do; but it's all under control.**

**Wow…long Author's Note is long. **

**P.S. This chapter is very much a filler, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Much love!**

**Candi xxx**

"So…how come you've never shown me the robot Holoform before?" Tess asked, wiping her hands on the rag from her back pocket. She was working on one of the Hummers that the soldiers use on their patrols, and it felt a little surreal to be dealing with a vehicle that didn't talk back, or wiggle when she hit a 'ticklish' spot.

Optimus, who was rested comfortably against the wall of her workshop in his true from, gave a perturbed hiss as he thought about his answer while he watched her working.

"I will confess, I prefer not to use it."

She looked up at him, confused, "Huh? Really; why? I would have thought that considering that it's pretty much a miniature of the real _you_, that it would feel better."

"Yes and no…" he said thoughtfully, "As you tell me constantly, the Holoform is an extension that allows us our more…_intimate_ moments; and essentially it is true that it isn't my real body. Being in a human body, it reminds me that I am _not_ in my real form. Using my bipedal appearance in a Holoform feels…as though I am trying too much to change my true form. The robotic Holoform seems…_falsifying_."

Tessa gave a nod in understanding and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, only serving to smear oil across the skin there. Optimus didn't see the need to point it out, because in all fairness she didn't really seem to care. She'd spent most of her childhood with skinned knees, tangled hair and grubby hands; so grease and oil marring her skin was hardly a bother.

"That makes sense. So despite the robot _looking_ like the real you…it doesn't…feel like it?"

"Precisely. At least with the human Holoform, I fully acknowledge that it is not my real body; whereas the bipedal image makes me feel like I am…trying to change."

"Then don't use it." She said decisively, matter-of-factly, "You don't need to change."

With a chuckle, he reached down gently and traced a finger down her back; making her giggle at the touch.

"I know that," he said gently, "but I want you to know that I _like_ being able to use the human form for you. It allows me to hold you, and touch you and be with you; I want you to understand that."

A smile crossed her face as a blush flashed across her cheeks; glad that she was burying herself under the hood of the military vehicle. She decided to move the subject, remembering that she had her 'girl date' with Mikaela the next night.

"So, have you spoken to Lennox about hiring Mikaela? You said you'd need to talk to him about it, right?"

He nodded and made an affirmative noise, listening to the rattling and clanging as she fiddled and played with the massive engine like a child with Lego.

"I did. He approves of the idea, however both he and myself would like for both you and Ratchet to train her in some of the basics of Cybertronian mechanics; in the meantime she will only be working on standard military vehicles."

Looking up over her shoulder to speak to him, she smiled, "That sounds fair. I'll give her my note book to read over…if she can read my _God-awful_ handwriting that is."

With a heavy exhale, Tessa popped the Hummer's hood shut jumped down from her step stool, her boots making a solid thud against the concrete of her workshop. While there were other mechanics throughout N.E.S.T, they were more for field work and very rarely stayed on base; and as such in recent months, it felt as though she had all but become Ratchet's second in command. All the soldiers went to her for their vehicular repairs, and not one of them doubted her capabilities.

The fact that she and Optimus were an item was hardly a secret on base, most (_if not all_) of the soldiers were aware of how much the little mechanic meant to the Autobot leader. They had recently received a bunch of new recruits who had finally earned the right to join the ranks of the military's most top secret division, and needless to say they had started rumours and gossip; causing Tessa and Optimus' relationship to become something of a 'scandal' amongst the 'newbie' recruits. But they didn't care; their relationship status was not something they tried to hide, nor did they intend to.

Galloway had not returned, just as Optimus had demanded, but he assumed he was probably going to try and file some sort of pursuit against them; he certainly wouldn't have put it past the ignorant little man. As the memory of what Galloway had said to Tessa reverberated through his processors, Optimus felt his Spark chamber rattle irritably. In a way the reaction concerned him a little, because it _felt_ as though it had already claimed her as a mate; it's fiercely protective possessiveness made that very clear. The idea of anyone hurting her or threatening her…it made him angry. An emotion that, as a calm and level-headed leader, was relatively uncommon for him.

He did not like to feel anger, because in his experience of war he had seen soldiers blinded by it; leaving them open for attack and misjudgement. However when it regarded a mate, Cybertronians were known to become enthusiastically aggressive. The mate of a Transformer was a powerful bond; but that of a _Sparkmate_ was much more intense. He had not considered how powerfully his Spark regarded Tessa; it was a close to a Sparkbond as it could get without _actually_ Sparkbonding.

"There!" she exclaimed, dusting her hands together with an accomplished smile; her cut it breaking Optimus from his thoughts, "That should stop any more leaks."

The massive Autobot gave a chuckle as she pulled her hair into a tighter ponytail and slouched heavily against his shin, looking up at him as he spoke to her, "I can assure you that the soldiers have no doubt in your capabilities." She shot him a grin and patted the blue metal of his leg.

"And they _shouldn't_ doubt it," she laughed, "I'm good at what I do, Chief; I didn't spend my childhood covered in dirt and grease for no good reason." He chuckled good-naturedly at her assurances before leaning forward and tracing a finger over her hair as she spoke again, looking at the large clock on the work station wall. "Well, I think I'd better call it a night, big guy. I need to do some gut work on one of the helicopters tomorrow, and I've got that movie with Mikaela."

He nodded gently, scooping her up into his hand and making her squeal in delight as he brought her close to his face. "I will see you tomorrow then." he rumbled gently as he nuzzled her against him, "Be safe."

With a giggle, she planted a chaste kiss against his cheek and tickled her fingers against the metal. Her heart warmed with affection at the gentle tone of his words as he held her close.

"Always." She smiled.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are you _serious_, Tessa? Oh my God that would be so amazing, thank you so _much_!" Mikaela leaned over and threw her arms around the older girl with an ecstatic squeal.

"_Sshhh!_" hissed the crowd around them.

The teenager lowered her voice with a sheepish smile and looked over at Tessa, "Sorry…"

In response, the mechanic snorted quietly and giggled, the two girls sinking embarrassedly in their chairs. They were sitting in the cinema watching Paranormal Activity 3, having been insisted upon by Mikaela; but they had very quickly lost interest in the movie and had discovered that they both had a _terrible_ habit of talking during the movie. They would whisper smart comments and make fun of the movie; causing everyone in the cinema to shush them, they'd even had one of the teenagers from the row behind them throw popcorn.

"So, you like the idea…?" Tessa whispered, reaching into the popcorn bucket to take another handful of the salty, buttered food.

Mikaela, who had been sipping her drink, gave an excited nod and whispered back, "Are you kidding? That's great. I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present this year."

Reassuringly, knowing that the younger girl was still hurting over her recent breakup, Tess reached over and wrapped an arm around Mikaela; squeezing her into a lopsided hug. "You're welcome." She whispered, "We're friends, Micky, and I couldn't leave you out in the cold; I know you better than I know Sam. You come first."

Mikaela made a motion to respond, but another hissing _sshhh_ interrupted her, just before the cinema screamed at a spooky part in the movie.

Tessa and Mikaela had burst out laughing inappropriately, silently resolving to sit and watch the rest of the movie. It was good, but not something either of them would pay to have seen again; even if Tessa _did_ confess that she would probably not sleep for the next week or so. As they exited the cinema, they dropped their rubbish into the trash bins provided and stepped out of the mall into the car park.

Given the late hour, it was a little chilly outside; but both girls had dressed appropriately, even if Mikaela di look a lot nicer than Tess had. The older girl was dressed in a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt and a baggy flannel shirt of her father's that she'd stolen several family gatherings ago. Her Converse sneakers were dirty and in need of replacing, but they served their purpose well enough.

Mikaela wore a lovely pair of skin-tight denim jeans, a dark blue halter-neck shirt and her leather jacket over a pair of stiletto heels. Given the packed Christmas crowds at the mall, the brunette adolescent had received _many_ admiring glances, which Tessa had no doubt would help the girl's currently rocky confidence.

Breakups were never easy, and they didn't _get_ easier no matter how old you were when they happened.

Bumblebee sat waiting patiently in the place where they had parked before entering the mall, and surprisingly the little Camaro had been endearingly patient enough to wait for them without complaint. The yellow vehicle appeared to wobble excitedly as they approached, Mikaela affectionately patting the trunk before moving around the driver's side. It was clear that in Sam's absence, the two had become good friends; and Tessa hated to think about how much a separation would have hurt the younger girl. As a mechanic, she understood the bond between themselves and a car; but the Autobots were just something else completely.

To work on a Transformer, and then have them taken away, was mechanical torture; it was like being shown all the possibilities of the universe and then having them barred from your reach forever. Going back to normal cars after being with the Autobots was not only painful, it was _impossible_.

Minds like Tess and Mikaela's didn't run on a normal frequency; they just _fit_ better with the Autobots, and Tessa knew exactly how the young girl would have felt having to give them up; it would have shattered her. As the two girls slid into the car, Tessa smiled broadly and patted the dashboard.

"So, when are you coming back to stay at base, Bee? I think the Autobots all really miss you."

A happy chirp was heard from the radio before Mikaela answered for him, starting the engine and backing up out of the parking space, "Sometime after Christmas, I wanted to spend the last one with Bee before he went back…but seeing as how I'm _going_ to base…!" she was unable to keep the broad grin from her features as they drove out of the mall parking lot to drop Tessa home. Clearly the older girl's news had uplifted her, because she was not moping around about Sam like she had the first half of the evening.

It occurred to Tess that perhaps the two teenagers' relationship had been all but over for a while now; because it seemed as though now that Mikaela had the Autobots staying in her life, she was happy, _glowing_. It was clear that there was a platonic bond between her and Bumblebee; it was expected after all, considering that they had spent so much time together in the past few years.

"Speaking of Christmas, Tess…" Mikaela suddenly chided, "…are you going to spend it with Optimus this year?"

The older mechanic gave an unsuppressed smile as they drove, her legs tucked under the seat as she affectionately began to trace the leather; something of a back scratch for Bumblebee, which he seemed to thoroughly love. The innocent Autobot was hands on and adorable, and reminded her of a puppy constantly wanting pats.

"The family is getting together for Christmas lunch, and that usually goes on to dinner as well. I want Optimus to join us; but first I'd have to think of _another_ viable excuse for him not to _eat_ anything…"  
>Mikaela glanced at her before tapping the dashboard, "Bee, can you drive?" With a familiarly adorable whistle, Bumblebee obediently wiggled the wheel and she let go, hovering her fingers over before the car began to move on its own. With the vehicle under control, she turned to Tess with a curious expression and leaned against the headrest to continue speaking, "They don't know yet? About the Autobots, I mean?"<p>

Tess shook her head, "No. But…I w_ant_ to tell them; I mean…they're my _family_. I can't keep something like this from them forever, I love him the way he is; I don't want it to feel like we're hiding anything. But with the Autobots being…you know…_classified_, I don't want to overstep where I shouldn't."

With a heavy sigh, the auburn haired woman scratched the back of her neck and cracked her shoulders worriedly. The rev from the Camaro suddenly made itself known and the attention of the two girls was brought to the radio as it crackled sharply to life.

"**I want the truth, from you – Tell the truth – Tell it like it is. Don't be ashamed to let your conscience be your guide**." It sparked as Bumblebee began jumping from song to song; skipping from Good Charlotte to Eric Clapton and the Aaron Neville. The songs were only short, mish-mashed together to form the appropriate message. Tess was getting a little better at understanding Bee now that she and Mikaela had begun to hang out a little bit more.

"But Bee, you guys are supposed to be a secret…"

A recorded, T.V soap 'crowd laugh' sounded from the speakers before the Scout began to lyric mash again. "**We are family - That's just the way it goes.**"

Mikaela snorted amusedly, "Just tell them anyway, huh Bee?"  
>The voice of the Terminator came from the surround sound with a deep rumble, "<strong>Affirmative<strong>."

Tessa laughed, "Aw, Bumblebee! It's not my secret to tell. I don't want to get in trouble from the government. Galloway _already_ hates my guts!"  
>This time, it was a vocal clip from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame that played; the voice of one of the gargoyles, "<strong>Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission<strong>." The engine revved playfully as Tessa laughed and patted the dashboard.

"That's a little dangerous for my liking, Bumblebee. I really don't want to end up in federal prison; I hear the food sucks."  
>"<strong>Do you honestly think – the prime number – would let you – be – get captured.<strong>" He warped in response, the question not really ending as a question due to the tone of the snippet he used to ask it. She gave a fond smile, all of them knowing the answer without having to say anything; Optimus, so creatively referred to as '_the prime number_' would never do anything that would cause her to get into trouble; even if it was only a human prison.

The sudden mental image of the massive Autobot leader smashing down a prison wall to bust her out crossed her mind; she imagined the two of them rolling casually away from the destructive scene in the custom Peterbilt. With a silly, amused giggle she face palmed at the idea and shook her head, patting the leather of the seat playfully.

"Well…I'll _ask_ Optimus about it. Personally, I'd like to tell them because let's face it…I can't keep something like this from my family; they're smarter than that."

"What have you been telling them so far?" Mikaela asked, "I mean, Optimus has been around your family more than once or twice…right?"  
>Tess nodded, "Yeah, so far we've just used excuses like 'the military is making him fast for a few days' or 'he's not feeling too well' I think he also told them once that he'd eaten before he got there. Nora wasn't happy about that one, she likes to cook for people; I swear to God she was Italian in her past life!"<br>The younger brunette laughed whole-heartedly at Tessa's evident affection towards her step-mother. It was clear that despite the lack of blood relation, they still considered each other to be family; and that was something that Optimus was going to be a part of.

And _that_ meant not keeping secrets.

"Well…personally I think telling them is the best thing, I mean; Optimus can't spend Christmas _lunch_ and _dinner_ not eating anything at all. At least if they knew _why_, then they could understand; especially if refusing food all the time offends someone in your family. You guys don't want that."

"Exactly."

"Well, then you should talk to Lennox about it; tell him that it's _necessary_ for your family to know about Optimus, and by default, the rest of the Autobots. I know he'll make N.E.S.T understand."

Bumblebee chirped in agreement as they turned onto the highway. The Camaro, glad to finally have some empty, open road, shifted the gears and sped up happily. Tess had to admit that she shared his enthusiasm for speeding; something that she knew Optimus probably wouldn't be happy to know when he learned that about her. But she was her own person, she had existed wholly years before she had met the Autobots, and fast driving had always been something she'd enjoyed; even if it was in carefully practiced moderation.

"Thanks guys…" she smiled happily, leaning back into the passenger seat like a content child, "Tonight's been awesome."

"No Tessa," Mikaela replied with a grin, clearly referring to the new job the mechanic had told her about, "thank _you_!"

With a cheeky rev, Bumblebee blasted the radio and took off down the highway like a little yellow bullet.


	69. Higher

**ANOTHER CHAPTER BECAUSE I'M SORRY FOR MAKING YOU ALL WAAAIIIT! **

**Poor Tessa isn't cut out for horror movies ;) I know just how she feels; because watching them make me so paranoid. So I figured something like this might happen to her eventually.**

**Due to my own bizarre sense of humour, I decided to put a little citrusy/lemon in this one because we're up to Chapter '69' (**_**hahahahaha**_**) Yeah I know…awful perv humour. I get it from my sister; do not blame me haha.**

**More plot progression next time, but for now; enjoy. I will write the next one within the next few days when I have the time. I can assure you all…**

**There are road bumps to come for Tess and Optimus ;D MWAHAHAHAHA**

At work the next day, Tessa had only been able to see Optimus in the early morning and even then it had only been very brief. She'd told him about the conversation she'd had with Mikaela about telling her family their secret, and informed him that she wasn't comfortable in keeping it from them. Understanding her concern, Optimus had told her that he would discuss it with Lennox that day, given that he had a briefing with several of the newer soldiers; he and Ironhide were training them in how to take down basic Decepticons on the field. Tess was no veteran of war, but it seemed to her like they were trying to prepare for an invasion; after all Megatron was supposedly in hiding.

He could only be biding his time.

That thought didn't settle well with her; especially not right now considering the working day was over and she was home by herself; after having watched that _stupid_ paranormal movie with Mikaela. Tess didn't like horror movies, particularly not since she'd been living by herself. Aaron and Riley had found it hilarious in her youth because she hadn't enjoyed them; sure she could laugh at them _while_ she watched them with people, but it was the aftermath that she hated.

After seeing a scary movie, every shadow danced differently, every random sound was a killer about to end her; every whisper in the wind was a ghost out to get her. Imagination ran rampant and made people think things were what they weren't.

Simply put, it frazzled her nerves.

The little mechanic didn't deal well with the severely spooky (_unless in the spirit of playful Halloween_) and she had a habit of leaving lights on all over the house after seeing movies such as her recent trip to Paranormal Activity 3. She'd only agreed to watch it because Mikaela had suggested it, and given that she'd been trying to make the girl feel better; she hadn't possessed the heart to refuse her.

It didn't help that the house was relatively old, either. It creaked occasionally and the windows would rattle a little in a strong wind; and every time the house made some sort of noise Tessa would pause the T.V, stop chewing her Skittles and listen _intently_ for any signs of creepy monster or poltergeist.

After doing this for about the 500th time, she gave a heavy, stressed sigh and ran her hands through her hair exasperatedly, "Shit, Teresa…" she huffed at herself; talking aloud more for her own comfort than anything else, "You're such a goddamned scaredy cat."

Looking over at her television, which was currently playing a light-hearted Disney movie that she'd put on to make herself feel better, she decided that it wasn't working. Leaving the movie playing for background noise, she got up from the couch and went into her bedroom; leaving the half empty packet of Skittles on the coffee table and turning on every light as she did so. More hastily than she would be willing to admit, she grabbed her towel and some clean underwear and headed to the shower; hoping to wash away some of the chilled nerves she was feeling. The feeling reminded her of when she was a child, afraid of the monsters under her bed; when she would try to crawl in with Aaron or Riley to try and feel safe.

Smiling a little at the memory, she recalled the way they had never turned her away; not once. As much as they fought and bickered, they would never make her face her fears alone; something that she loved them for.

Once she'd adjusted the water temperature to the scolding way she liked it, Tessa stepped into the shower and proceeded to wet her hair; running her hands over it tiredly before wiping the water out of her eyes and grabbing the shampoo, squeezing it onto her hand before balancing it precariously on the shower rack hoping it would stay there. The scent of jasmine filled her nose and she immediately felt her tense coil begin to unwind itself from her spine; starting to relax a little.

Tess didn't waste time on things like perfumes, or body sprays or scented lotions; but she was happy to admit that she liked to indulge with shower products. Spending all her time working elbow deep in oil and engines, it was nice to have something…_pretty_ smelling to take away the scent of metal and grinder sparks that seemed to cling to her. Even if it was never long before the pretty smells were replaced by the metal ones, she liked to feel clean; to know that even for a just a little while she could indulge in a nice smell.

It was – _wait_…what was that noise…?

Having rinsed the last of the conditioner residue out of her hair, she slid open the shower door and hung her head out, trying to listen over the sound of the water; too afraid to turn it off in case she _did_ actually hear something. There was a definite _thump_ from somewhere in the house, and it sounded a lot like her front door.

_Fuck_! She thought in a panic, verbalising a hissing tone under her breath, "Shit, shit, _shit!_"

Frantically she grabbed her towel off the back of the door, thankful that it was closed. She ignored the water still running and clasped her chest in a blind panic, her heart practically flip-flopping. Her mind wasn't making sense at the present time; all she could think about was that _goddamned_ movie!

"Dammit Mikaela…" she hissed through her teeth, knowing that she was being stupid; standing naked in a towel with her back braced against a door, panicking like a frightened child because she thought she'd heard a noise, "Christ Tessa…" she muttered sharply to herself, "I was just a damn _movie_…"

Then she heard footsteps…

Heavy, thudding footsteps that sounded ominous, wandering. _Now_ she could panic, because there was definitely someone, or some_thing_ in her house. Her mind was now kindly informing her that she was going to die; probably ripped apart by some poltergeist ghost, that is unless she had heart failure first. The footsteps stopped outside the door and her body clamped in a cold chill; she was appalled to find that she had childish tears in her eyes. In a sudden instant, a gentle knock on the door made her jump slightly and she held her breath; not wanting whatever was outside of it to hear her panicking.

Then the teetering shampoo bottle fell out of the rack and clattered to the shower floor with a loud noise that seemed _so much_ louder than it really was. Tessa's hand accidentally bashed against the door as a terrified full body twitch made her jump at the noise.

And she screamed.

"Tessa?"

A voice from the other side of the door called to her, it sounded worried; alarmed even. Wait…that was _Optimus'_ voice! "Ch-Chief?" she choked out hopefully, feeling her skin prickle a little in worry. Hell be damned, she was never watching a scary movie EVER again!

"Tess? Are you alright?"

The handle of the doorknob gave a squeak before it slowly creaked open and Tessa stood back so that it could reveal Optimus' human Holoform standing in the door; looking quite worried. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans, his heavy boots (_that__ explained the ominousness of the footsteps down the hallway…_) and a snug white t-shirt decorated with minor detailing of red and blue covered his torso. She gave off a slight choking sound, and that was when he approached her with concern in his eyes.

"What – What are you _doing_ here?" she asked with a rasping squeak, "You scared the absolute _shit_ out of me, you know that?"

He pulled a confused expression before he spoke, the response sounding like the most obvious statement in the world. "It's Saturday…" he reminded her, "Your television was on but…you were missing. I thought that something…might have happened."

She could have slapped herself. Saturdays were the one night a week that they didn't allow the burdens of N.E.S.T to follow them; it was _their_ time. She hadn't forgotten, she'd just been distracted and considering Optimus had been otherwise occupied all day, the recollection of the actual _day_ had slipped her mind.

_Okay…so maybe I did forget_… she thought guiltily. She had given Optimus the spare key for her home, insisting on leaving it in the dashboard of the truck should he ever need to let himself in; a clear sign of her already obvious trust in him.

"I am _so_ glad to see you." She breathed in relief, "I went and saw a scary movie with Mikaela last night and I…I thought you were a demon coming to get me." Tess couldn't help but laugh awkwardly at how dumb it sounded now.

He was silent for a second before he rumbled a chuckle up his chest; the comforting sound reverberating the air around them as he reassuringly stroked her jaw with his thumb. She looked so tightly wound right now, her fingers trembled a little; a detail she probably didn't know he was aware of. He could see the stressed tension coiled in her shoulders underneath her long hair that splayed over them.

That saturated and dripping hair that clung so…_temptingly_ to her skin… Primus save him when he realized that she was only dressed in that cloth towel; clearly having just been bathing. Watching one of the droplets trickle from her collarbone and snake its way to the edge of the towel, the Prime found himself wondering what the water tasted like against her skin. Her flesh was flared red, clearly from the temperature of the 'shower' she had been in, and the sound of the water running drew his attention to the fact that his surprising her had probably caught her in the middle of it.

"You were…I interrupted your bathing." He said suddenly, feeling a little awkward knowing that humans were socially embarrassed in states of undress. As he'd suspected, she darted her gaze to the running water and cursed under her breath.

"_Shit_, I forgot about the water! I was in the middle of a shower…" She suddenly looked down at the towel she was wearing and her face flushed scarlet as she avoided his eyes; looking any way she could to prevent him from seeing her embarrassment. He looked over her shoulder at the running water and turned his eyes back to her.

"What's it like?" he asked cautiously.

Tess looked up at him, her eyes confused for a moment, "What's…what like?"

"Bathing." He said simply, "It's something humans seem to do frequently, but I have never…attempted it in this form."

Sudden understanding crossed her face and she felt her cheeks go red again. Gosh…how did they always end up in situations like this? It was like being in high-school with the boy you liked; just couldn't get enough. "Do you…want to try it?"

His Cybertronian blue eyes took in the space of the shower, steam pouring from it as the water ran uselessly down the drain. It seemed like an awful waste to let it continue without a purpose. His gaze fell to the mechanic in front of him and he found himself unable to hide a slight smile; he could still see the frightened tension that was remnants of her earlier scare…it reminded him of how he had been feeling the day she demanded he drive with her. When she had used sexual stimulation as a way to relax him…

A terribly un-innocent, almost _devious_ thought struck him as the memory came to him; the memory of how her fingers had felt against his truck form, and of the fact that she had chosen to do such a thing in his truck form. For the _real_ him. It was such an incredibly warming feeling to know that although they both willingly utilized the human Holoform, she loved him for who he was; for _what_ he was. His hand fell from her jaw and rested at the junction of her throat as he regarded her.

There was a little favour he needed to return…

"It looks…" he lowered his face to her neck and rumbled against her throat, "…_delicious_."

Before the mechanic could reply or make any form of response, he had brought out the Holoform's tongue and dragged it across her damp skin; tasting the water against the flesh before the droplets had the chance to trickle down her skin. Tessa squeaked a little as his free hand trailed gently up her leg and up to the place where she had tucked the towel in at the top. His mouth moved from her throat and up to her lips to converge his over her own; the woman giving of a gasping giggle as she found herself surrendering to his apparently playful mood.

"Opt – _mph!_ – Optimus we're – wasting wa – _ah _– wasting water-!" she gasped, one of her hands unable to resisted moving into his hair to tangle her fingers in the silky strands. He made a grunt against her lips, an affirmation that he had heard her. In response, she felt the towel being unravelled and it fluttered heavily to the floor as he backed her towards the shower, stepping over it carelessly.

Tess gave a squeak as they entered the cubicle of the shower and the spray hit her. As her back hit the cold tiles on the opposite side, she separated their lips so that she could squeal a protest to the temperature. "_Chief_!" she exclaimed, "You're still _dressed_! You – _mm_ – you're not supposed to shower with you _clothes_ on – _Oh_-!"

She was cut off by Optimus diving his face down to hers and converging their lips tightly; his Holoform's tongue tracing her lower lip habitually before entering her mouth. There was so much fire beneath his lips, such intensity that it made her heart flutter. She'd never been wanted so much in any of her relationships. Perhaps the inability to resist was mutual for both of them. The thought made her giggle as his tongue slid down hers before retracting and allowing him to suck her top lip; his mouth converging back over her own possessively.

He kissed her _hard_.

Optimus' blue-black hair streamed with water now, and the white of his shirt had gone see through. His jeans clung tightly to his legs, betraying the fine musculature hidden underneath. With an amused giggle, she twisted her fingers into his hair and looked up at his through the steam; trying to counter her nudity by encouraging his own.

"You have to take all that off if you're gonna have a shower, Chief."

"I…have a better idea." He said lowly, his liquid voice sending chills up her spine. Before she could respond to him he had seized her by the thighs and lifted her; pressing her flush against the cold tiles and pinning her there with his hips, one hand supporting her thigh. As a rumble echoed through his chest, his mouth found her collarbone and he traced his tongue over it; secretly delighting in her breath hitching as he did so.

Trying to retain her composure, she tried to laugh and make light of her current predicament. "Jesus, Chief; what is it with you and your – _ah_ – pinning me against walls fetish? Why do – _ngh_ – you _like_ it this way?"

The Prime's free hand beat into the tiles of the wall next to her ear, the sound muted by the moisture on the surface. His eyes levelled with her, practically burning through her in their intensity and she felt his fingers tighten rather teasing against her thigh; his thumb resting on the skin of her bottom.

"No e_scape_ this way." He growled.

Sweet _Jesus_ she could have been forced to orgasm just by the dark tone in his voice! So full of lust and darkness; but she knew he would never hurt her, she trusted him with anything. "No…escape?" she breathed cheekily, still a little flustered at being propped up against the wall with his abdomen between her legs, "From what exactly, _Prime_?"

She couldn't possibly have had any idea just how _arousing_ for him to hear her spit his name so violently through gritted teeth. She was playing this game; a little better than he'd thought she would. With a rumbling growl, he dipped his head to her neck and took the skin to his mouth for a few seconds before he spoke; his lips still pressed hotly against the flesh.

"There's a _favour_ that I owe you."

The hand that was braced against the wall slid along her shoulder and down slowly over her breast; making her gasp as his ice-cold palm touched the sensitive skin there. His fingers circled her navel gently before sliding teasingly to where the junction of her legs pressed against his abdominal muscles; separated only by the wet t-shirt that made them so _deliciously_ visible. Experimentally, he ran his thumb along the inside of her thighs, delighting in the way she gasped and squirmed under the touch.

"_Optimus_!" she hissed, "You don't need to – _a-ah!_ – return anything! I did that be – _oh shit_ – because I wanted to!"

He would never admit it, but he was greatly enjoying watching her composure slip between her fingers and leave her, unable to coherently string together her sentences; this must have been how she felt providing him with pleasure that day…

"I know that," he growled seductively against her throat as he trapped her earlobe briefly between the Holoform's teeth, "and now _I_ am doing it because I want to."

"Yeah, but – _Holy sweet mothe-_!"

As two of his fingers entered her, he silenced her dazed scream by sealing his mouth over hers; muffling her words against him as she slid a tongue against his lip. She was already fervent, and he wondered just how long it had been since she'd been the one _not_ giving. She always seemed to prefer making him feel pleasure, rather than trying to selfishly obtain it herself. Well not this time, he had decided to himself that she was going to lose herself and overload just as he had; no matter how much he wanted to interface with her.

With detailed information that he scanned through on the internet, he experimentally crooked the fingers inside her a little; taking detailed note of how it felt inside her. His actions were rewarded her moaning against his mouth and biting down on his lip.

_So that motion gets a strong reaction_…he duly noted in his processors, trying another motion of slowly drawing out the two fingers; almost to the point of extraction before he pushed them back in, making her react in an almost flailing manner, her nails clawing into his back in an attempt to find some sort of _grounding_ in the sensations.

"Jesus, Optimus!" she gasped against him, the water saturating them and causing her long tangled hair to splay over the cloth of his shirt, sticking to their faces and streaming water into their eyes; neither of them cared. He didn't say anything in response, he just moved the digits a little deeper and continued to _kiss_ her.

The end was imminent, and happened as suddenly as their little romp had started; he had twisted his fingers in a way she wouldn't have even thought he _knew_ and as a result, stars exploded behind her eyes. A strangled gasp escaped her as the sensation overloaded her and she found herself collapsing against his form; feeling limp and completely boneless in the wake of the orgasm.

He still held her up against the wall, his hands supporting her thighs to prevent her from falling as he nuzzled the bridge of his nose against her throat; his chest rumbling against her own as he spoke. "That…that was spectacular." He growled.

His dark hair was matting against her skin and itched a little, but Hell she didn't care. The hot, scalding water beat down on them as she tried to regain enough composure to string together a logical sentence. It took a few tries, but eventually she got it.

"Where…Where did you _learn_ that?" she gasped exhaustedly, her extremities still tingling. She heard him chuckle through his nose, the exhalation warming brushing her skin as he clutched her tighter and pressed a hiss to her clavicle.

"The internet."

Unable to stop herself, she started to laugh; it was giddy, almost delirious laughter as she twined her fingers into his hair and pulled him into a kiss. Encouraging him slightly, she convinced him to lower her to the shower floor and she inched around him, not separating their lips as she finally slid the shower door shut; the hot water beating down on them. As she took note of Optimus' saturated (_and they were __saturated_) clothes, she raised her hands to his shoulders and pressed _him_ against the tiles, making him smirk amusedly at her bold actions. "You need to take all this off, Chief." She smiled at him, now doubly aware of her own nakedness. He gave a rumbling growl and sealed her in a kiss for a second before he spoke.

"Is that so…?" he purred, "What did you have in mind?"

She pulled a miffed expression and playfully slapped his arm, "Get you mind out of the gutter you closet _perv_. I don't mean for _that_!"

"Oh?" he asked, pretending to sound disappointed. He slid his tongue playfully across her earlobe, "Then what _did_ you have in mind, my Tessa?" She felt her heart swell at his nickname for her before she slid her hands to the hem of the wet, deliciously transparent shirt in an attempt to lift it. Standing on her tiptoes she kissed him playfully on the nose.

"You need a _shower_."


	70. Fall For You

**FLUFF! OMG SO MUCH FLUFF!**

**I must be the only person I know who would write a shower scene without sex. But it's just so adorable.**

**Just to let you know; don't get too used to the 'every day' updates during the Christmas period, I'm just sort of doing it to make up for the fact that I made you guys wait so long. Hopefully after Christmas I will have more time; retail sucks hahaha.**

**Anyhow, this chapter is just…So. Damn. Cute!**

**Enjoy it!**

As Tessa removed the clothing from the Holoform, heavy due to the weight of the water, she had notice that it was slower to disintegrate into the electrical sparks than normal. It had to have something to do with the amount of moisture in both the clothing and the air around them. Whatever the cause, she got it done with quickly and admittedly found herself marvelling the human form's fine physique. His broad chest muscles chorded perfectly into strong, sculpted shoulders; his forearms lightly dusted with blue black hair that matched the locks on his scalp.

The musculature on his abdomen was neatly formed, with a fine trail of hair tracing downward from his navel. Strong, angular hips tapered into firmly muscled thighs, his calves baring very fine dark hair as well; almost invisible unless observed closely. Tessa couldn't help but feel in awe of the man, even if he was only an artificial body he still represented the being she loved.

He was magnificent, inside _and_ out.

Tessa's chest swelled with love, her heart feeling like it was pressing the barrier of her ribcage in an attempt to touch him. She trailed her fingers gently along the skin of his shoulders and across his chest; pulling him under the scolding water with her and planting a kiss against his lips. Her tongue could taste the shower water against his skin, mixing with the faint metallic taste of his mouth. His fingers twined behind him to the shower rack, grabbing the loofa and a bottle of shower gel.

Separating their lips gently, she watched the water streaming over his face; his eyes were closed and drops of the liquid dripped from the tip of his aristocratic nose before falling to his chest. Squeezing out some of the gel onto the scrub, she pressed it to his collarbone; giggling as he flinched and opened his eyes.

"What-?"

"-Body scrub." Tess informed him with a smile, "We use it to wash away dirt that collects in the skin; in our pores. Plus, it smells nice."

As she gently exfoliated it against his skin, he closed his eyes in wonder; brows drawn and lips slightly parted at the sensation, "That…feels _incredible_."

Smiling a little proudly to herself, Tessa scrubbed gently at his arms before pressing a hand to his soapy chest and planting a kiss on his chin; the facial hair scratching her lip ticklishly. "Turn around." She told him gently, smiling as he obediently did as she asked.

Moving to his back, she scrubbed the skin of his shoulder blades and rinsed off the loofa, leaving the soap on his skin. It made the flesh slippery, and using it as an 'oil' of sorts, she reached up and firmly dug her thumbs into his shoulders.

He was unable to stifle the groan that slipped past his lips; the magnitude of the pleasant sensations causing him to lean forward and brace his forearm against the wall. Rinsing away the soap on his back, the mechanic planted a gentle kiss on his spine before tracing her nose along his back muscles as she massaged them.

"Nice, isn't it?"

"Mmm…" he mumbled unintelligibly, twisting the top half of his body lifting his arm to tuck her under the crook of his shoulder; kissing her underneath the water as it streamed across their faces. He cupped her chin in both hands tenderly, savouring the feeling of the Holoform's body pressed flush against her own, their skin inflamed a little from the temperature of the shower. Their contact was not sexual, it was togetherness in its purest form; and he loved it.

"Let's wash your hair," she breathed against his mouth, lifting her arms to wrap them around his neck and splay her fingers into the saturated, tangled locks teasingly as his hands lowered to her hips, "that's even _nicer_."

Separating their mouths, she reached for the shampoo and lifted it over his head upside down. Squirting it playfully onto his scalp she accidentally mishandled the bottle and some of it hit the back of his neck, making his twitch suddenly; his fingers tightening against her waist reactively.

"That's _cold_." He gasped confusedly, looking down at her as she grinned; digging her fingers into his scalp to rub the shampoo in.

"Relax, Chief; it warms up when you soap it. Here, let me do it."

She scrubbed the soapy essence into his scalp vigorously, smiling to herself as his eyes slid shut in bliss. While she washed his hair, she found herself remembering the brief conversation they'd had that morning regarding Christmas with her family.

"Optimus," she said gently as she scrubbed the nape of his neck; taking in the details of his blissful face, "I need to know what you want to do about telling my family…about _you_."

His eyes slid open almost reluctantly as he felt her nails drag along his scalp; and he had to fight back a moan at the sensations so that he could answer her. "I spoke to Lennox," he rumbled gently, trailing his fingers affectionately up her hips and savouring the sight of her body before him, "He is admittedly…a little _concerned_ at the suggestion of dragging more innocent people into this war…But I _want_ them to know us. Your family are important to you, and that makes them important to me."

She gave a thoughtful nod before pushing the hair back off his forehead, "Lean your head back and close your eyes," she murmured gently, "we have to rinse this out for the next step."

"How many _steps_ are there to washing human hair?" he asked in astonishment, "I thought we _were_ washing it?"

Tess couldn't help but giggle before she reached up and guided his eyelids down, planting a deep, loving kiss on his mouth before pushing him under the water spray. The hot stream beat down on his chorded muscles and washed the soapy rinse from his blue-black locks. White suds slid heavily down his shoulders and onto the shower floor; disappearing down the drain with a gurgle. Guiding him forward, she watched him wipe his eyes before she reached up ran her hands through his hair; wringing the excess water from it with her fingers.

Then she took the conditioner bottle and dolloped a small amount into her palm before she spoke again; spreading the substance in her hands. "To tell one member of my family is to tell them all, Optimus." She murmured gently, tangling the conditioner into his hair and watching a heavy sigh escape him, almost like a pleased groan.

"I know that." He said distantly, clearly revelling in the sensation of her fingers running through his now slick hair, "Telling your father or your brothers would be the same as telling you mother, or Lucy."

"Exactly…" she hummed, her voice dropping to a whisper over the shower water as she kissed him again; loving the sensation of his dampened mouth on her own, "That's why I understand if you want to keep your Autobots a secret. I mean, it wasn't _mine_ to know in the first place; I didn't belong in your world to start with-"

"-_Stop_." He growled as his eyes opened to pull her hips closer to him; wrapping his arms possessively around her waist and holding her flush against his chest. He wove a hand into her soaking hair and pressed her firmly against his pectoral muscles as he rumbled protectively in her ear, "You were_ always_ meant to be in my world; to be with _me_. Tess, you cannot possibly know how long I have waited for you…"

Her hands, beaded with water and slick from the conditioner, slid down his back; her nails raking deliciously down the skin either side of his spine.

"I love you…" she whispered against his damp, bare chest.

His fingers tightened around her, his lips finding her scalp to plant a kiss into her hair, "…And I _adore_ you, Tessa; I thank Primus that I have survived this war long enough to find you."

She gave a giggle, feeling her face flush as she pulled back to look up at him; rinsing her fingers under the spray to trace them wetly over his lips, "You're just a sap, babe…" she laughed gently, lifting her face to converge their lips playfully and eradicating the water with her tongue. Her hand slid up over his chest and into his hair, applying pressure and massaging the slick, silky conditioner into his scalp.

In response he groaned against her mouth, stepping back and having to lean against the tiled wall to remain standing. It still amazed her just how responsive he was to massage; clearly the pressure point treatment was much more intense on a Holoform.

Lifting her other hand to continue the ministration, she smiled against his lips and closed her eyes softly; enjoying the feel of the steam around them. They were wasting so much water, so much soap, and she didn't _care_. Right now, her world felt no bigger than the shower cubicle; it was just them, in their world that nobody else could have. Pressed against the cold tiles, Optimus revelled in the contrasting temperatures and sensations.

Her fingers, soft and warm, digging into his scalp; the icy tiles pressed against his back, the humid steam invading his nose and settling heavily in the Holoform's lungs. In all his years, he'd never experienced simultaneous sensations like this; of feeling her body pressed so _innocently_ against his own in a way that was not sexual or vulgar, just the sensation on skin on skin.

His lover's skin.

Oh how his Spark sang at the term. It had been centuries since he'd had a lover, and even then they had been nothing more than nights of companionship; nothing more than the need to hold someone, whoever it was. But with Tessa…it was her heart and her life, her very _soul_ that his Spark craved. It wanted nothing more than for her to be there, no matter how or when; it just wanted her presence and her love. So much love that she had to give…

His hands lifted from her hips, tracing the skin of her back and trailing up along her arms. They ghosted over her collarbone, her breasts, down her stomach and traced her navel softly before they lifted back to her jaw; clasping her face lovingly in his hands. His touch spoke of promises and protection, of love and devotion on a level that no human could have possibly ever shown to her before him; no _man_ would ever love her like he did.

"A _sap_ I may be Tessa," he rumbled against her mouth, trapping her bottom lip between his teeth briefly before his fingers gently traced her throat, "but I _love_ you. You cannot understand what that means for me."

With her feet splashing the water on the shower floor, Tess stepped forward, causing him to move back; his shoulder blades gently touching the tiling. She pressed her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes, savouring their moment; the intimacy without ulterior. Her slender, stained fingers slid from his hair and onto the small of his back, holding him close to her with a heavy, content sigh.

"I understand, Chief. I _do_ understand. I've never loved anyone outside of my family as much as I love you… I would do anything if it was best for you." Her lips converged over his own very briefly before she pulled back and slicked his hair off his face, "Come on, let's rinse this out…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

After they had shut off the water, Tessa had given Optimus her towel to wrap around his waist; planning to get a new one instead. However as she had made her way down the hall to her small laundry, the Autobot leader followed her there. She'd caught a glimpse of him in her peripheral vision looking at her backside.

He was actually _perving_ on her!

With a miffed squeak and a slap on the arm, she seized a towel and wrapped it around her body defensively; feeling a little self-conscious now that she was out of the proximity of her bathroom. The towel he wore was slung low on his hips; almost precariously, and that was when she realized that he didn't have the same social taboo when it came to nudity. His towel probably could have fallen off and he wouldn't notice at all.

She led him absently by the hand to her bedroom so that she could change, pulling the drawers of her dresser open to try and find something to wear. However as soon as Optimus realized what she was doing, he had moved from his seat on her bed and come up behind her, placing his hands over hers to stop her; his palms engulfing her own. He bent his face down and started to plant deep, languid kisses along her shoulders which were not covered by the towel wrapped around her torso.

"Don't…" he rumbled liquidly against her skin, referring to her attempt to dress herself, "…you look exquisite like this."

His hands released her so that his fingers could trace up her arms, the feather-light touch causing her skin to break out in goose bumps. Even the slightest gestures from him left her breathless, and this was no exception; but being her usual, easily embarrassed self she tried to make light of it.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" she giggled, raising a hand over her shoulder to twist her fingers into his hair, "You've always got to _touch_, huh?"

She gave a squeak when he responded cheekily by nibbling at the skin of her shoulder, sliding his arms around her to hold her waist; one of his hands snaking just in between the gap of the towel to touch the skin of her ribs.

"Touch is still new to me in this form…_intimate_ touch, at least. I confess, it is something of a guilty pleasure that I will allow myself…" his chest reverberated against her bare back, the Holoform separated from her by nothing but the bath-towels they wore. His hair, still damp from the shower, was cold against her skin as he rested his forehead against her shoulder; his arms tightening lovingly around her. His voice lowered to a gentle rumble as he spoke again, "I think we should tell your family the truth…"

Caught off guard, Tess turned her head to try and see him, resting her cheek against the top of his head with a gentle smile, "…Thank you…"

He inhaled deeply against her skin and moved his nose across her shoulders as he took in the scent of her flesh. Sweet and damp, fresh and soft; and completely all his…

Turning in his grasp, she pressed a hand to the chorded muscles on his abdomen, feeling the firm texture under her fingertips; like metal underlain beneath his skin. She traced the dips and grooves underneath her nails, taking in the Holoform's body in great detail as she watched the skin twitch reactively. Optimus' eyes watched her curiously, feeling the light touches rippling his flesh pleasantly. Her hands moved to the wrist where her grandmother's cross dangled symbolically at his side; and as she twined it gently between her fingers he didn't miss the intense fondness in her eyes; the memories that she probably associated with it.

Moving her grasp, she ghosted her fingers over the biceps of his arms and onto the large, marring scar on his chest; the representation of the wound Megatron had given him, subsequently having taken Optimus from her once before. Her brows stitched together a little as she looked at it, her fingers tracing the edges tenderly before she pressed her lips to it; a silent commemoration to what had almost ended their relationship before it had begun.

A second chance like this one was more than they could have ever hoped for…

Tessa suddenly pressed her palm gently to the scar and pushed him backward slowly. With each soft step that she took forward, he was forced to take one back; and eventually his calf touched the foot of her bed, causing him to look down at her curiously. She smiled up at him and planted a kiss on his lips before pushing him down onto the mattress, the springs causing the Holoform to bounce a little from them.

Laying on his back in the centre of her bed, he propped himself up onto his elbows and watched as she took the corner of her towel in one hand, blushing to herself as she removed it and let it drop to the floor. She moved onto the mattress to sit beside him and tugged insistently at the towel around his waist. Obligingly he lifted his hips and allowed her to pull it from him, tossing it onto the floor to join hers. Moving to lie beside him, Tess tucked herself into the crook of his shoulder and kissed his throat, the length of her bare body pressed against his own.

"Sleep like this with me…" she whispered softly, her fingers dancing lightly across his jaw, her eyes closed in contented bliss.

As if in immediate response, he tugged the comforter from beneath them and lifted it over the both of them, his large hand pressing against the space between her shoulder blades to cradle her against him. "I won't be able to hold the Holoform all night…" he murmured, sounding almost apologetic as his fingers traced from her jaw and into her hairline. She shook her head and planted a gentle kiss on his mouth.

"I know that. Just…fall asleep with me…"

She sounded tired, he could hear it easily. Her head was already weighing down on his arm as it rested on the pillow, her eyes were already lightly closed; her chest rising and falling softly. With an endearing smile he bent his head and planted a deep, loving kiss against the space just below her ear. As he did so, he lifted one of his legs and wrapped it around both of her before pulling her body against him; swallowing her up protectively as she drifted off. Nuzzling the bridge of his nose into her damp hair, he whispered only one word in that deep, gentle baritone before he lost her to slumber.

"…Mine."


	71. With Arms Wide Open

**WOW…Big wait, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry; I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH, I AM **_**SOOOORRRRYYYYYYY**_**!\**

**:(**

**I hope you guys can forgive me; it's been life-suckingly hectic lately, what with Christmas at work, painting people's Christmas presents, and the general bullcrap that comes with being alive; y'all know the drill. Hahaha.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys like the chapter; I've skipped to Christmas Day mostly because (**_**and I'll be honest here**_**) I just want to get this arc of the story OVER with. **

**It's about time we started setting the scene for DOTM; I mean there's still a few things that need to happen before then, but we can at least get the ball rolling.**

**In any case, I hate Christmas anyway; I know…I'm a total Grinch, so sue me. Hahaha.**

**Enjoy, my wonderful readers; Love you all stacks!**

**P.S. I just LOVE Optimus' Christmas present to Tessa! *chokes on copious amounts of pure fluff***

**P.P.S. Just in case anybody was wondering, the images I used of Optimus' memories were the designs from Transformers: War For Cybertron. So if you want references to character images and such, just Google them :)**

"Are you ready to go now?"

"Yes. No. Uh… maybe… I – _I'm not sure_!"

"Tess, calm yourself."

"Where did I put the presents? _Shit_!"

Optimus, who was parked in her driveway as Tessa stood in her open garage trying to remember her mental checklist, gave a heavy chuckle from the grill of the Peterbilt as he watched her dart back and forth going through her numerous bags. Some contained a few gifts, others were stuffed full of soft drinks and foods for her family lunch.

It was Christmas Day.

The day that Tessa and her 'boyfriend' alien robot planned to tell her family _about_ said 'boyfriend' being an alien robot. They were going to be letting the relatives in on a very tightly held military secret and there was going to be judgement, whether it be good or bad.

Needless to say, Tessa's nerves were _shitting themselves_.

"Are you referring to the bag you left by the door over there?" Optimus enquired calmly, the air quiet given that the engine was not running. In response, the little mechanic whipped around and spotted the _massive_ black garbage bag she had put there while trying to juggle everything.

"Oh, thank God! Okay! Let's get going." She shifted a few things to one arm to free up her hand, picking up the bag and toddling over to Optimus.  
>"I wish you would let me <em>help<em> you with those-"\

"-No!" she ordered in return, "I _told_ you already, you're going to have enough on your plate today with…you know…telling them! I'm _fine_, Chief; honest!"

He opened the cabin door for her anyway, the only form of assistance she would probably allow him, and she tossed the numerous bags into the sleeping cabin at the back. She was dressed in a pair of black jeans, some snow boots and a long sleeved black sweater. Thrown over the top she had a blue flannel shirt and a cute 'Santa' hat to ward off the cold. It wasn't snowing, but the weather certainly had a very chilly bite to it. In a playful Christmas spirit, she had attached silver tinsel to the grill, doors and rear view mirror of the Peterbilt. Being fascinated by the tradition, he had allowed her…even if it _was_ strangely prickly and itchy.

Optimus had spent the night at her home and she had talked late into the night with his Holoform, explaining the purpose of Christmas and the traditions that different people had with the spirit of the season. He had been _fascinated_ by the talk of religion and spirituality, the story about Jesus being the son of their human God; being born into their world via a human virgin, had particularly intrigued him.

As did the varying Faiths that existed on Earth; such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity, Anglicanism…even Atheism in itself was a Faith.

Such things would have been unheard of on Cybertron, because Primus was the only God they had, and there was no speculation around him as there was with humanity's worships. Primus gave life to their race; that was fact, not faith.

"_Now_ are you ready?" he asked gently, humour clearly lacing his voice as it rose up from the speakers; turning up the heater to warm her. She gave an exasperated laugh and patted the steering wheel in front of her.

"As ready as I'll ever be for what we have planned today, Optimus Prime. Let's get going."

A chuckle rumbled from the surround sound as the massive engine roared to life and he began to back out of her driveway; Tessa using the remote on her house keys to shut the garage door as they did so. It was roughly a half an hour's drive to her father's house where they were having the gathering, and for most of the trip the two remained in comfortable silence together; however eventually Tessa decided they had to come up with a method of delivery for their…_news_.

"So, I was thinking that before the lunch we should break the bubble; after everyone's opened their presents and that way, they'll know why you're not eating with us…It would give them a chance…to ask questions, you know?"

"Ah, that's right…this holiday greatly involves 'gift-giving' doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does."  
>The speakers made a crackling noise, as though he was clearing his throat before he continued, "Then before it becomes an inappropriate time, I would like to give you yours." Tessa's eyes widened a little bit and she tightened her hands over the steering wheel.<p>

"Optimus! You didn't have to _get_ me anything, really you didn't!"

She could hear a cheeky smirk in his voice, "Then it is a good thing that I didn't '_get_' you anything, but there _is_ something that I will show to you. Do you mind if we pull over? It will only take a minute." He sounded…proud of himself; clearly whatever he had in mind was something that he had done with something specific in mind.

"Okay."

Veering carefully to the shoulder of the road, she felt the cabin begin to crackle with humid electricity; a sensation that she was so used to now that she didn't even bother noticing the way her hair frizzed at the ends. His human Holoform sat in the passenger seat beside her, dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a red, open zip-up jacket that had blue pockets at the waist; he had copied her dress code and wore a Santa hat that matched her own. Reaching over, he gently twined his fingers to the nape of her neck and nodded at her.

"Close your eyes." He murmured softly, and she obeyed curiously. His fingers tightened firmly on the back of her head, anchoring her gently in place as she felt the fingers of his other hand brush the hair from her forehead. Then she felt the skin of his own forehead press against hers and his hands slid to her jawline; his thumbs pressed to her temples firmly, "Keep them closed…you will know when it's time to open them…"

"Alright…" she whispered, feeling a little breathless from the strange feeling floating in the air. It was gentle, intimate…_magical_ almost…

Suddenly a tiny zap crackled at the place where their foreheads connected, and she felt a strange burning originating from his thumbs against her temples; the warmth feeling like it was seeping into her eyes. "Optimus…" she whimpered, a little bit scared of the strange sensations. She felt his lips touch her nose gently in reassurance before he spoke, his breath tickling her skin; her eyes still stayed closed.

"Let me show you…Cybertron…"

A sharp burn pierced her eyes, feeling like it was spearing from one temple to the other; it was no more painful than a booster shot, but the sensation caused her eyes to fly open just as blue flashed across her eyes. Her close proximity to Optimus' own glowing neon eyes had her staring into the depths of his crystalline irises; the pupils feeling like they were a million oceans deep. Their intensity was vaguely noted, but her vision began to swim; shifting and changing before her.

In what felt like the time it took her to blink, she was staring at a city; like something out of a science fiction movie. The buildings were _enormous_ compared to her, with glowing neon lights studding the skyline. There were no people...but there were hundreds of robots.

Cybertronians!

Images flashed before her eyes, voices ringing in her ears in an overloading jumble. She caught names briefly, she even heard Ironhide's voice several times; and Ratchet's. A small, yellow bot with a horned helmet appeared in these visions; and after a strange connection clicked in her brain, she realized that it was Bumblebee. But he was not a Camaro, he looked similar…but different. So did Optimus.

They _all_ looked different…Ironhide was red-! … He looked _good_ in red! And _Ratchet_? He was the perfect encapsulation of a medic with his red and white form. Other names that she did not recognise were implementing in her brain, but she was unable to grasp the facts long enough to retain them. They slipped through her mind like sand through her fingers; she realized that she was seeing Optimus' memories!

Tessa watched the visions continue to flash, listened to the voices (_both familiar and not_) ring through her ears in an echo. She saw moments of Optimus' life, laughter with his soldiers and 'Sparkbreak' when he lost them. She witnessed battles with creatures she assumed were Decepticons, she briefly tasted the rage he'd felt in the moments, but just like with the names and other memories; they slipped away and evaded her.

They weren't her memories to keep.

In a flash of neon, white-hot blue, her vision cleared and she found herself staring into the Holoform's eyes as he still held her tightly to his forehead. How much time had passed? A few minutes, an hour? She couldn't tell…

"Optimus…" she gasped breathlessly as they separated a little bit, "That…that was _incredible_! What was that?"

Suddenly, the glove box in the dashboard behind Optimus popped open and he reached for it; taking something in his hand and placing it in hers with an incredibly warm look in his eyes as he did so. Still trying to clear the glowing neon from her vision Tessa had to squint a little bit to focus, but her eyes welled on a touched manner as she realized what he had given her to see.

Her family photo album.

The one she had given him barely a year ago.

His fingers twined with hers over the top of the leather-bound book and planted a kiss onto the top of her head. "You shared your life with me…your history." He rumbled gently, "I thought it would only be fitting…to share mine with you."

"It…" Tessa had to trail off as touched tears laced the back of her voice, clearing her throat before she spoke again, "It's the most wonderful gift…Optimus, thank you…" Touching a hand to his face, she put the book on the seat beside her and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, squeezing him for all she could. There was no feeling more wonderful than being in his arms, and as his hands pressed protectively to her back; it only reaffirmed this belief.

"We should get going…" she murmured into his chest, "I'm sorry; but you'll have to wait for your Christmas present. Lucy has it."

He gave a rumbling chuckle and she felt his hand move into her hair just as the truck's engine restated and the Peterbilt rolled back onto the road; easily climbing back up to speed. "That is fine," he assured her, "I just wanted to give you yours before we were…in company I could not do such things with."

"Not for long." Tessa scoffed, reminding him of their mission that day, "I'll admit, I'm worried…I mean…I know how they'd react to a new boyfriend, and what they'd say…but I don't _know_ how they'll react to my boyfriend being the leader of an alien faction, who just so happens to be a transforming robot that turns into my truck."

"_Your_ truck?" he asked in a teasing tone, pulling back from her to sit in his seat; her seatbelt tightening around her chest as he _smirked_ at her. Seeing his mocking tone that he was snarking her with, Tessa picked up the photo album and thumped it against his leg heavily with a grin.

"Yes, _my_ truck. I wear the pants in this relationship."

"By all technicality, that is true; I do not _wear_ pants."

"Don't be a smartass!"  
>"My backside has no mental processor, how could it be intelligent?"<p>

"…_Stop it_!."

"Are you addressing me, or my supposedly intelligent aft?"

"…I hate you." she pouted playfully, her smile unable to be hidden from their little play fight.

"I love you too."

With an amused smile, she reached her fingers across the seat and twined her fingers into his hand; her head found roost on his shoulder as she watched the road. According to the clock on the Peterbilt's dashboard, it was just past 8 o'clock, so they were running on schedule as planned. Tessa wanted to get there early in the morning so that Lucy wouldn't have to wait to open her presents; the girl had about as much patience as a duck on fire looking for water.

"Are you nervous, Chief?" she asked him gently as they drove.

"I am." He confessed easily, facing it head-on as he did with everything; ever the leader that he was, "But it will be a relief as well. I have great respect for your family Tessa, I would protect them as my own; and family must not keep secrets from one another."

She felt her heart swell at his statement, feeling the love that emanated from him when he talked about those that he cared about. It was the same when he spoke about Ironhide or Ratchet; even Sam, his special people that were close to him. Ones that he would lay his life down for, and now her own family was a part of that.

"They love you too, Optimus…" she murmured gently, "They'll be okay with this…I just _know_ they will. They have to be…"

There was a moment when the air was slightly heavier than before, both of them thinking the same thing; however it was Optimus who said it aloud. "And if they aren't? If they choose not to accept me any longer, which they are well within their rights to do; what will happen then…?"

Tessa felt her heart spasm at the inflection in his tone, that sad, almost _frightened_ tone. Good God, he was scared! Scared of the rejection from her family, scared of losing her; he thought he would _lose_ her? She couldn't even bear the thought; and she had to reassure him. Now!

"It wouldn't matter. They wouldn't be able to keep me from you, they wouldn't _try_ to. I love you; as both who and _what_ you are. You're mine, Optimus Prime, and I'm yours no matter what happens; don't you ever forget that."

Relief swam through both his Holoform body, and his real one at her words. Whether her family accepted the truth or not, she would not abandon him; he was well aware that such a thing was not in her nature in the first place…but love is irrational. The thought of losing her, even the mild _suggestion_ of it, frightened him more than anything ever had in his existence of being. He had never loved another as he had loved her, and he was just now learning that love was illogical and nonsensical; sometimes _unreasonable_ in its nature.

His fingers untwined from hers and he picked up the photo album, gently placing it back in the glove box where it lived before his wrapped his arm over her, pulling her close under his shoulder to tuck her there securely.

"You are unbelievably perfect for me, Tessa; so much so that it is almost…_extra-terrestrial_."

She snorted at his ironic choice of words and reached up to peck a kiss on his jaw as she scoffed a laugh at him. "Extra-terrestrial is _your_ job description, you ridiculously handsome old robot. Stop trying to pawn it off to _me_!"

Looking down at her, Optimus gave her a fond smile before the two of them finally let the silence bubble up into laughter; it felt so good to be so comfortable in one person's presence the way they were. It was something that she'd not experienced in a lot of her previous relationships; a few, maybe, but most of them not.

A comfortable silence fell over them once more, and they found no need to speak as they rumbled down the highway to the town where her father's property resided. He still remembered the way from when Aaron had driven them; given that the computer-minded robot had a pretty much eidetic memory. Sadly, Aaron Jackson was not going to be at the family gathering this time; Christmas was a busy period of the year for freight, livestock and produce transportation and truck drivers were kept very busy.

Aaron had promised Tess that he would try to see them soon; probably sometime in mid-January if he could get a delivery nearby at some point.

Sadly, these were the Christmases that Tessa recalled from recent years; usually everybody but Aaron, and it weighed heavily on her heart. She knew her parents missed him, Riley did too; but Riley was married and working full-time, busy with his own children. Philip was a now part-time, semi-retired man in his 50's who thought often about the kids he'd raised before they'd flown the coup.

It was only as they rolled up the dirt driveway, leaving the main road far behind them, that she realised they had arrived. Everyone's cars were there already but Tessa had suspected this, her mother was an early bird when it came to Christmas; she and Nora tended to get really into the celebration planning, both leaving Phil well out of the loop. She loved that her mother and step-mother got along so well, in fact they were almost what you could call friends.

As Optimus pulled to a stop and cut off the engine, he looked over at her with a calm expression, his eyes giving away his nerves. Tessa could see it, and she gripped his hand tightly before planting a playful kiss to the back of it; releasing it when she was done. She jerked her head towards the house and smiled reassuringly at him; looking a lot more confident than she actually felt.

"Ready?"

"…As ready as I think I will _ever_ be."

"Then let's do this, shall we sir?" she heard the radio crackle to life and she nearly broke out laughing as she heard a line from 'The Emperor's New Groove' play through it; as Optimus looked at her with a smile, David Spade's voice filled the cabin playfully.  
>"<em>Bring it on<em>."


	72. Lunacy Fringe

**Okay, so the Christmas arc is ALMOST over with (**_**thank GOD hahaha**_**) **

**I wanted to get this chapter out quickly because I always feel bad making you guys wait, and for that I apologize. Anyhow, I simply LOVE Lucy in this chapter; I mean don't get me wrong, I love Lucy full stop…but she'd just so damn ADORABLE!**

**She just has such a…**_**presence**_** about her, and I love the way she interacts with Optimus because in a lot of ways; she knows more about certain things than he does, and she has a child's honest perception. Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy.**

**Also, considering that Peter Cullen used to be the voice of Eeyore from Winnie the Pook; that's the reason the reference is in there. It was inspired by this Youtube video, just copy and paste the link without the spaces:**

**www . youtube . com/watch?v=Z0Jtt2BVMLU**

**It is SO. FLIPPING. **_**CUTE!**_

"Wait, hang on!" Tess exclaimed quickly before the Holoform could exit the cabin of the Peterbilt, "Get rid of this."

Reaching over, she pulled the Santa hat off his head and watched it disappear in a flurry of electrical sparks before pulling her own from her hair and dropping it on his head.  
>"What-?"<br>"-Lucy is here, Chief; and I can _guarantee_ you that she'll try to steal your hat. Can't have it disappearing in her hands now, can we?" she laughed, admiring the way it looked on his head. She'd never liked Santa as a child; in fact her brothers told her stories about how she had _screamed_ the house down whenever her parents had tried to get the customary photograph with a 'mall Santa' while she sat on his lap. However Optimus managed to make it look endearingly gorgeous.

"Why…why would Lucy steal my hat?" he asked curiously.

This made Tessa smile as she reached into the back for the numerous bags of food, presents and soft drinks. "Because she does it every year; she has a thing for hair accessories. She does the same thing with bunny-ear headbands at Easter; and you're one of her favourite people in the world, Chief. She _adores_ you."

A fond smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at the proclamation; the child had only been in his life for a small period of time…but already Tessa's niece had all but become his too. Lucy even referred to him as 'Uncle' already, which as he understood it, was an honorary term for a member of the family.

He felt proud that she included him so.

As Tessa opened the door and climbed down, Optimus' Holoform followed suit on the other side of the truck. Ignoring her previous objections, he made his way around to her and took some of the bags from her arms.

"Chief-!" she started, but he cut her off by planting a kiss on her lips, both of their arms full.

"-No more objecting from you." He said, taking on a muckily ordering tone, "Let me help."

Tessa opened her mouth to respond, however before she could, the sound of the flyscreen door slamming alerted them to a presence."  
>"AUNT TESSIE!" screeched Lucy's excited voice, "UNCLE OPTIMUS!"<p>

The mechanic laughed as the little girl flung her arms around her legs tightly in a hug before releasing her to do the same to Optimus, which look funnier on him because he was much taller than the little girl. "Santa brought presents last night!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Optimus, who had been previously informed about the modern tradition of 'Santa Claus' and what it meant to children, smiled down at the caramel skinned child and gave her a laugh. "Then I can assume you were well behaved this year, Lucy?" he asked her in an almost teasing tone. In response, she leg go of him and nodded furiously.

"Yeah! But Mommy and Daddy said we can't open presents until everyone is here…" then, as if it clicked suddenly in her head that Optimus and Tessa _were_ the last people to arrive, she grabbed one of the bags from Optimus and jumped excitedly, "Everyone _IS_ here! Come on, Aunt Tessie! I want to see what Santa brought me!"

She laughed in response to the small girl and followed her into the house with a scoff, "Sure thing, boss!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

Optimus quickly learned that Lucy had quite a…_soprano_ squeal when it came to giving and receiving presents. Tessa had given her a children's toy toolbox kit, which Optimus found sweet given the mechanics own love of machinery. From her parents she was given a Barbie Dream House with a few extra dolls to play in it with, and a present that Aaron had mailed to her was a pretty, hand crafted wooden jewellery box; something he had apparently picked up at a market stall on his road travels. She'd received a lovely bedspread with pretty horses and fairies on it from Tessa's mother, however Lucy's favourite gift was the one she received from her grandfather and step-grandmother.

A _massive_ plush toy of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

It was at least half the length of Lucy's little body, with silky velvet fur and beautiful glass eyes. When she hugged it around the tummy, Tess realized that it talked. Lucy repeatedly made the toy speak a few times, before she looked up at Optimus from her seat on the floor in front of the Christmas tree.

"…Octopus…?" she said curiously, looking up with wide, expressive blue eyes.

"Hm?"

She looked down at the Eeyore toy and pressed his tummy again, making it say "_If you ask me, when a house looks like that, it's time to find another one_." Then she looked back at the Prime.

"Uncle Optimus…You sound like _Eeyore_! Listen!" She pressed its tummy again and the line '_Thanks for noticin' me_' came from it. Tessa was unable to refrain from hysterical laughter when it clicked; Lucy was right.

"Oh my God, Chief! You do too!" she laughed, wrapping an arm around is shoulders from where she sat next to him; planting a giggling kiss to his cheek. Then she turned to Lucy with a smile, "Hey, Lulu…you ready to give Optimus his present?"

Expressive blue eyes lit up to an almost Cybertronian luminescence from her excitement. Her smile grew three times its original size and she dropped Eeyore to the ground. "Yeah! Yeah! Mommy; where did you put it?"

Emma, who was sitting on the floor holding Thomas steady as he practiced standing (_Given that he was roughly 8 or 9 months old now_) gave a smile at her daughter, "It's right there under the tree, sweetie."

Excitedly, the young girl searched the now sparse base of the Christmas tree and turned to her 'uncle' with a rectangular shape roughly the size of a shoebox, perhaps a little smaller. Clearly she had wrapped it all by herself, because the paper was messy, crumpled and had a _lot_ of sticky tape holding it together. She clutched it tightly with a big smile as she addressed Optimus.

"This one is from me and Aunt Tessie, 'cause she helped me with it!"

The mechanic in question placed her head on Optimus' shoulder and smiled at Lucy, "Well, you pretty much did _most_ of the work baby girl, so you get to give that to him, okay?" the child nodded happily in response and held the messily wrapped gift to him with a beaming smile.

"Here!"

Placing it in his hands, Optimus looked at it curiously before catching gaze with the girl's expectant expression. Greatly intrigued, he peeled away the Christmas patterned paper and found his Spark swell a little at what he held in his hands; touched by the gesture of it.

"It's…me. Or the – uh – my _truck_. It's the Peterbilt?"

Lucy nodded happily with a massive smile, "Yeah! Mommy bought me baking clay and said I should make something; so I made something for _you_! Aunt Tessie had to cook it for me…and after I painted it she put 'famish' on it to make it shiny!"

"Varnish, Lucy. I put _varnish_ on it." Tessa laughed, amused by the girl's jumble of words.

Optimus, however, was too busy looking at the baking clay in his hands. It was a roughly made replica of the Peterbilt; or a child's representation of it anyway. There were indentations of fingerprints where the clay had been worked by small hands, and it was a little bit lopsided. The wheels were more squarish, probably from excessive handling during the creation process; and the tray of the truck was fairly squished. In terms of artistic replication of his real form, the model was actually quite garishly deformed…

But he loved it.

It was a creative attempt from a small, sheltered child; and that she had cared enough for him to try and make a replica of 'his truck' touched him. The paint was vibrant, and the glossy varnish made it shiny. The truck was primarily blue, with roughly painted flames on the front it red. Okay, so it was the most…_flattering_ model he'd ever seen of himself, but the fact that Lucy had memorized his alt mode thoroughly enough to try and craft her own version of it was touchingly sweet.

He realized that he must have been staring at it for quite some time, because Lucy's voice entered his thoughts. "Optimus…?" she asked quietly. He looked up and realized that her smile had faded a little bit, now she just looked concerned, "Is it…okay?"

With a smile and an endearing chuckle, he found his hand reaching out to the small child standing in front of him and holding one of her tiny shoulders in his palm. He guided her forward and pulled her into a one-armed hug, his Spark feeling a strongly protective sense of family toward the human child in his grasp.

"It is wonderful," he assured her warmly, "I will keep this with me on base. Thank you, Lucy."

He felt the small girl's tiny little hands around his shoulders, gripping the back of his jacket with all the strength and energy that only an elated child could possibly express. Tessa could see the beaming grin on her face as the Prime held her tightly; and she could easily sense the aura of loving care from them as her family watched him being pulled deeper into her world. Her stomach sank at the memory of what they would be showing her family once all the presents and conversations were exchanged…would they still accept him…?

Optimus, oblivious to his beloved's worried thoughts, tucked Lucy against his chest and ruffled a hand affectionately in her hair as he chuckled at her still ongoing cuddle. "You are quite an artist, Lieutenant." He rumbled playfully to her, using the nickname he had given her at her grandfather's birthday party; then name he had used for her in their War Games. Strangely, he felt her fingers tighten into the cloth of his shirt again and she hugged him tighter, and suddenly she spoke again. Although her voice was muffled against the fabric of his clothing, there was an evident smile in her tone and clearly she was happy about his use of the name.

"I love you, Uncle Optimus."

He froze for a moment, his body numb with the magnitude of _honesty_ in the child's voice, so unguarded and open in such a powerful proclamation. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around the child with enough length remaining to reach himself again as he gave a genuinely endearing and honoured laugh, infinitely heart-warmed by the expression. "And I love you very much too, Lucy." He assured her, "Your family is very important to me now, as are you."

Pulling back from him, she cocked her head to the side and then shook her head with a giggle; as though she were the adult and he was the child. It was a weird reversal for a split second.

"You always talk so _silly_!" she exclaimed with a giggle.

"Well," Nora exclaimed with a big smile as she clasped her hands together, "now that we've got all the presents from Santa out of the way; I say it's time we start serving up lunch!"

Rachael, Tessa and Riley's mother, picked Thomas up from in front of Emma and smiled broadly as well, "I agree. Nora and I have been _slaving away_ in that kitchen since yesterday, so it'd better all get eaten!" she laughed genuinely at her own comment and then turned to the Prime, who had stood up and taken Tessa's hand, knowing perfectly well that it was now or never that their secret had to come out, "Optimus, sweetheart are you eating with us this time?"

Tessa, who had to try and refrain from smiling at the fact that her mother had just called the noble leader of an alien military faction 'sweetheart' so that she could focus on the more serious dilemma at hand, laced her fingers with Optimus' and held them tightly.

"Actually…Mom…I wanted to – _we_ wanted – to talk to you about something important…"

"It can't wait until _after_ I have food in my belly?" Riley complained jokingly, helping his wife up from where she sat on the floor. Lucy was standing near them, her new Eeyore toy already having been picked up off the floor and wrapped protectively in her arms.

Tessa shot a brief glare at her brother that lacked any intensity whatsoever before shaking her head with a deep and bracing sigh. "Actually, that's a small part of what we wanted to tell you-"

Philip Jackson was now looking at his daughter intensely and took a step forward, "Tessie; you aren't…_pregnant_ are you?" The woman in question's eyes widened in shock at the blatant statement before she began to thoroughly freak out.

"_What_? No, no, no! My _God_, Dad; NO!" she exclaimed hastily, waving an arm defensively in front of her body in a stern 'no' gesture. To her surprise, Nora and Rachael looked at one another, shared a smile, shrugged and giggled before turning to her with scarily identical 'mom grins' as Rachael spoke to her daughter.

"That's a shame…I'm actually a little sad about that; he'd make such _beautiful_ grandbabies-"

"-_MOM_! Jesus, I'm trying to let you in on a pretty big thing here; could you guys at least _pretend_ that I'm being serious?" She placed a palm to her forehead and tried to rework up the courage to say what she had to…but she just didn't know how to say it.

How do you _break_ news like that to someone?

_Oh yeah guys, BTW everybody; my BF is totally like, a giant robotic alien that saves the world on a daily basis. Oh yeah and FYI, I'm totally banging a Peterbilt_.

Yep…that would go down _really_ well…NOT.

Unsure of what to do, she tightened her grip on Optimus' hand and turned to him with a questioning expression. He immediately understood her distress and nodded, turning to her family to speak for the both of them.

"As you all know…I am a member of a military faction which you have not been privy to the knowledge of. It is highly secret and not a secret we normally disclose to…_civilians_ due to the level of risk. The more people who know a secret…"

"The more people who can tell it…" Tess finished.

Phil looked concerned now, "What are you two getting at?"

"And what does it have anything to do with Optimus not eating Mom and Nora's food?" Riley laughed, "You said that was part of it right; does the army make him abstain from 'normal people' food?"

Tessa looked up at Optimus, sharing his gaze. They were both so afraid…but they needed, _wanted_ to share this with them. Tessa didn't want to have to lie to her family about what Optimus did, or about why Sideswipe and Ironhide never used their real names instead of the 'codenames' they had falsely used as an excuse. Optimus didn't want to have to offend the members of his new family every time he wouldn't dine with them, or why he could never carpool with others because he couldn't stray too far from his alt mode; lest the Holoform disintegrate before their eyes.

"Maybe…" the Prime said gently, holding Tessa's gaze firmly, "…we should show them…outside?"

He felt her fingers tighten between his nervously, "I think so too…"

After much confused protest, Tessa had managed to convince her family to postpone lunch just a little longer so that she could reveal to them this 'big, secretive news' that she and Optimus had. As they congregated outside, Riley complained about the cold, Rachael commented on how the turkey was going to get cold and Phil asked Tessa once _again_ if she was _sure_ that this wasn't about her being pregnant. Her family's humour, which normally was endearingly hilarious and entertaining, was currently annoying her. This was hard enough as it was without them being stupid about it…

"Well…?" Phil asked, now not only curious; but worried as well, "what's this so-called secret."

"Grandpa!" Lucy squeaked suddenly, drawing the attention of everyone in the family with her high, almost annoyed tone. She stood with her hands on her hips, looking at her grandfather as though she had all the authority in the world to do so, "You're supposed to be _nice_ when someone tells you a secret! 'Cause then it's _your_ secret too!"

_Silly Grandpa_, Lucy thought. They just didn't understand how special a secret was! It was like a pinky swear, and they were _super_ important.

Reaching over, she stood in between Tessa and Optimus; taking each of their hands in either one of hers as she looked up at them. "I'm a really _good_ secret keeper!" she exclaimed proudly, beaming at the two of them, "You don't have to be scared!"

Tess and Optimus exchanged glances, looked down at Lucy and then back to each other. The mechanic quirked her lip up at the side and gave a heavy exhale as she nodded to him. "Do it, Chief. Just get it over with." With a returned nod, Optimus placed a free hand on Lucy's head before the Holoform disintegrated from the little girl's hand.

Then the Peterbilt transformed.

**I KNOW! I'M A ****HORRIBLE**** PERSON FOR THE CLIFFHANGER :(**

**I'm really sorry guys, but I just wanted to get a chapter out for you all so we can get this Arc done and dusted. I will try to get the next chapter up within the next 2 or 3 days, so be sure y'all leave a nice little review telling me about your favourite parts ;D**

**Gawsh…evil writer is evil…**


	73. Author's Note 3

**-****THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER****-**

**This Author's Note is actually a response to a writing critic who took the time to write a rather long 'review' but left me no alternative by which to contact them.**

**So to the reader who left only the name 'Writer' I apologise if you did not wish for a public response, but you should know that I was not going to take such a review without responding.**

**Firstly, this is not a lash out-please don't think that it is. I'm replying to a critic, and I plan to do so respectfully and fairly. **

**I appreciate you taking the time to be honest and tell me what you didn't like about Primary Mechanisms, but there are a few things I would like to clarify with you. From what I understand, you said that my writing was 'lax' and that you had hoped it would improve throughout the story's continuation.**

**I would like to point out that unlike yourself I have not taken classes or studied literacy and creative writing. I am completely self-taught and I find it offensive that you seem to be looking down on my style of writing. My apologies if that wasn't your intention, but that's how it came across to me. My grammar, writing and literacy have been developed purely through personal trial, error and experience…and I don't think that was fair of you to say. Forgive me if it isn't 'up to scratch' with an actual student's capabilities.**

**In regard to your theory on the lemons and how they are written, **_**YES**_** I will happily admit that they are in fact written by someone who has never had sex. That doesn't bother me at all, I know for a fact that they probably aren't anything like the real deal so I **_**apologise**_** if that they aren't authentic enough but given my personal inexperience you think I'd be allowed a little dramatic leniency. I'm not going to go out for research purposes and change values to write a better lemon.**

**As for the frequency of them, this story spends a lot of time going through the motions of a growing relationship. I don't want to time skip or cut years ahead into the future because I am **_**trying**_** to learn how to write an adult relationship, which generally involves sexual attraction. Instead of telling me that it's just plain terrible, maybe instead you'd like to offer a suggestion for improvement because I am more than open to those. I just don't appreciate being dragged through the mud.**

**So please, if my writing is so darn unbearable give me some of that schooled advice that might help me better it. I learn to write purely by trying, so why not give me the opportunity to improve? Instead of remaining silent in your detest of my writing every chapter hoping it gets better, why wouldn't you have just offered some pointers as a fellow writer instead of waiting this long to onslaught me? I'm trying to take this professionally, but I would be lying if I said that your review didn't hurt my feelings. I'm sorry that this story has evidently been so unbearable for you.**

**I don't like confrontation, nor do I like lashing out. I believe in a fair argument for everyone and I fully respect that you are entitled to your own opinion.**

**So am I.**

**Honestly I just find it insulting that you would go for so long 'biting your tongue' rather than expressing an opinion along the way when it's relevant. In regard to the semi-colons, I will admit that I agree with you. I actually only started even using them because my Microsoft Word kept correcting me. **_**I am not a student of the grammatical arts and I have not taken classes**_**. I'm self-taught and I can assure you that I am so much better than when I first started writing when I was little more than a teenager.**

**Once again, I really do **_**honestly**_** understand that you are doing no more than expressing your opinion and I appreciate that. You said you were expecting a 'don't like it, don't read it' response and I hate to sound so cliché, but unfortunately that seems as though that's the only thing to say in situations such as these.**

**So unless you have constructive and respectful advice that you would be willing to share with another writer, then I thank you for 'hanging around to see if it improved' but if my story is so offensively terrible to you, than quite honestly I would **_**prefer**_** that you didn't continue.**

**Because (**_**and I mean this quite sincerely, I really do**_**) I would hate for this to offend you further.**

**Thanks for the review, even if it was a negative one. I plan to think on what you've said to me and I wish you the best in your own literary endeavours.**

**UlurNaga**


	74. Relinquish

**Long Author's Note will be long…**

**Writer, I would like to thank you for sending the second review, not the one that was apparently someone else (**_**Which I am sorry for**_**). The second one has a little bit more clarity, so I appreciate it.**

**I thank you for some of the advice; pointers are welcome and I respect when people who know more about technical writing than me try to help me out.**

**What I haven't appreciated is that you have actually made me feel like the **_**worst**_** writer in the world. **

**The way that you went about this has actually sincerely hurt me, because I know for a fact that despite my lack of training, I am a **_**good**_** writer. I confess that a lot of what you said has stripped me back and made me feel like some god-awful failure who tries to write in 'Leet Speak' or 'text lingo' or something, which I am NOT. My readers have loved what I've written so far, and they continue to wait for my updates eagerly, that has to account for **_**something**_**.**

**Which reminds me, I don't appreciate you categorizing my readers so…viciously. **

**My readers are wonderful people who have supported me and brought me out of the literary slump that I was in before starting this story. Some of them lack more of the practical experience of writing, but so did I at some point. Many of my own readers I am in awe of because many of them have their own flare for writing, and are intelligent, **_**good**_** people. **

**Please don't insult them the way that you did.**

**Anyway…your qualms about this story not moving forward in plotline are understandable, because I want it to move on as well. I just didn't want to do stupid time skips that miss entire years in between. I can assure you, the Dark Of The Moon arc will have plenty of action, plenty of drama and it will be amazing. I'm looking forward to writing the angst, the tension that the third movie presents.**

**My writing style, semi-colons included, will more than likely remain similar to what it already is. Not because I can't change it, but it's how I personally find it easier to write, easier to read back over to myself.**

**Again, thank you for clarifying, I appreciate it. **

**I will admit I was incredibly hurt, but I think I understand where you are trying to come from. If my story has bothered you so much so that you don't feel you will be able to continue reading, then by all means please don't.**

**In fact if you merely continue to 'tolerate' my story, then please don't leave another review like that one. The age-old 'If you have nothing nice to say don't say it at all' phrase comes to mind. You don't like what I've written so far. I get it. If you **_**don't**_** plan on continuing this read, then I wish you well and goodbye.**

**Because I am a person, not a computer and I **_**have feelings**_**. What you said cut me. I don't like being made to feel as though I am such a dreadfully awful writer that you can't stand it and I don't have to allow myself to feel that way. I am a good writer, untrained yes, but I'm not as **_**awful**_** at it as you seem to have made me feel that I am. May your own writing flourish. I will be continuing with my own, regardless.**

**Candi.**

**P.S. If indeed the comment made under Writer's name was in fact a falsehood, then whoever did it **_**please**_** don't do it again. Be bigger than that guys :)**

"…"

"Dad…?"

"…"

"Dad…say something."

"…"

"_Please_ Dad, just _say_ something!"

There was another pause before the man drew in a very deep breath and released it, his chest shuddering from the effort as her entire family looked up at Optimus Prime's bipedal form in somewhere between confusion, terror and disbelief.

"What…_is_ he?" he choked.

A loud whirring occurred from the massive robot that was now towering over Philip Jackson's home as he got down to a knee so that he could be eye level with her family. "I am an Autobot, a member of a race of intelligent mechanical beings. Our home, Cybertron, is where we once resided."

"Phil, be careful…" Nora whispered worriedly as she clutched her husband's sleeve when he took a step towards Optimus. Lucy was hidden behind Emma's leg, peeking out just a little bit with awed, curious eyes that were about the size of dinner plates.

Tessa saw a flicker of hurt cross the Prime's optics, and nearly felt her heart split in two because of it. Optimus may have been a thick skinned leader to a freedom fighting alien faction…but he was a gentle soul that craved acceptance as much as anyone else and it hurt her to see him ache like that. The bot in question gave a hissing exhalation and braced a hand on the dirt near the porch where they all stood.

"You have nothing to fear from me," he implored, "I am still…_me_."

"…You're…Tessa, you're dating…a _robot_!" Phil barked sharply.

She flinched a little at his tone, "I know."

Her father's hands balled into fists, and she could see his arms trembling. Whether it was in anger or fear, she didn't quite know. "Autobots…" he murmured deeply, before looking up at the mighty leader with the authority that only a father could possibly possess, "I've heard that name before…You were involved in that 'worldwide net hack' with that giant prawn-faced thing, weren't you? …I saw it on the news. They said it was…a worldwide prank; that some hackers got into military networks or something…"

Tessa bit her lip, unsure of how much she should reveal, but it seemed that Optimus was holding to bars. He shook his head with a firm expression, "What the government and media told you was a lie. They were Decepticons, our enemies in this war-"

"A war for _our_ planet?" Phil tried to clarify, his brows knitted in disbelieving apprehension.

"The Autobots fight for freedom, Dad…" Tessa tried to explain, "but the Decepticons want to destroy everything…They're the bad guys, and Optimus is the good guy."

"So this is a _war_?" Riley asked sceptically, "And you're a _part_ of it?"

"Not exactly!" she retaliated, desperately trying to make them understand the good that Optimus and his soldiers did, "I'm just a mechanic, you remember all the fusion work I did a few years ago, with entirely rebuilding engines into something more advanced? _That's_ why they hired me, because I can work on the robots! I don't go into battle; I'm not _in_ the war!"

"Sweetheart," Rachael said gently, walking forward and reaching for Tessa's shoulder to rub her arm gently, "you're romantically involved with the leader of the bad guys' enemy…Like it or not, honey…you _are_ in the middle of it-"

"-I don't like it." Phil suddenly cut in, his gaze narrowing at Optimus as he crossed his arms.

The Prime flinched as though the man had just shot him. Tessa felt her heart plummet straight into the pits of Hell as dread filled her stomach. Phil gave a heavy sigh as he continued, "I can't…approve of this, Tessie. I won't have you in danger-"

"_Please_," Optimus implored him, "I would sooner lay down my own life than see Tessa endangered. I will protect her no matter the cause."

"You don't understand, son. This is my _daughter_… She's – she's my baby girl, the only one I've got. I will do anything to protect her, and having her involved with a military that endangers her life is not me doing my job."

"_Dad_!"

"No, Tessa this isn't some interracial relationship; it's interspecies. I don't even…know how this sort of relationship would _work_. And quite frankly I don't _need_ to know. Optimus…it's not about…what you are." Phil gestured to the massive robot's form in front of him, "It's what you're a part of. If my little girl is in danger from your war…or even physically from your…size difference…then I can't…"

"Grandpa?" came Lucy's voice, "Can I see Uncle Optimus…"

Emma and Riley looked down at their daughter, astounded by her sudden speak up. The confused deliberation in her eyes was curious; analysing almost… Emma put a hand on her head, "Lucy…are you sure?"

She cocked her head to one side, as though her mother had just asked the most rhetorical question in the world and the answer was totally obvious. Then she let go of Emma and made her way down the veranda to where Optimus knelt at Philip Jackson's feet. Lucy, who ignored the tension in the air as only a naïve child possibly could, stopped a little ways from the robot's feet and looked up at him curiously for a moment. Then she spoke.

"I want to go up." She said bluntly, her voice half sounding like a question at the end. Curiously but compliantly, Optimus lowered his hand palm up to the ground before the child; keeping his movements slow as to not startle her family. He found that in the back of his mind he already partially regretted telling her family the truth, because her father now seemed opposed to Tessa's place at N.E.S.T and the rest of them seemed frightened of _him_. Optimus would be lying if he said he didn't feel foolish right now, and the human phrase of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' worked its way to the forefront of his mind.

And didn't he just feel like a right out _slagger_ now…

His attention was broken from his thoughts as he felt Lucy's tiny hands curl around one of his outstretched fingers, her brows drawn a little as she touched the metal. Her mouth was puckered to one side, as if thinking about something; and she suddenly looked up at him. The small child's gaze held his for longer than was comfortable for the already nervous Prime, but he did not look away from her. His optics whirred as he enhanced the visual on her; to better read the subtle details in her face.

She watched him, without any concern for social courtesies or airs and graces; she _watched_ him as though she were trying to figure something out, and after a full minute that felt like it stretched on for hours, she gave a nod to herself and looked back up at him.

"You're really _tall_!" she exclaimed blatantly, gripping his fingers so that she could clumsily pull herself up onto his palm, "Maybe you should play basketball! Mommy says basketball players are really tall!"

Surprise flashed across the Prime's face for a brief moment before he lifted the girl a little higher in his hand, instinctively curling his fingers a fraction to protect her from falling. Tessa watched with hopeful interest as she called up to Lucy, hoping and _praying_ that her family would follow the little girl's example.

"Aren't you scared in Optimus' hand, Lucy?" Tess asked cleverly, knowing perfectly well that if the little girl _was_ afraid, she wouldn't be in his hand at all. As predicted, the child looked down at her aunt and shook her head.

"Huh? Why would I be scared?" she asked rhetorically, as though it were the most clearly obvious thing in the world, "Uncle Optimus has _never_ hurt me! That's _silly_!" she giggled at the way grown-ups just seemed to say the weirdest things sometimes…

"She…does realize that he's a giant _robot_, right?" Riley asked worriedly, looking at his relatives with concern.

Tessa shot her brother a glare and approached Optimus. She tapped the metal of his foot and drew his attention to her, "Lift me in the other hand, Chief; there's something I need to say."

"Of course."

Without any hesitation he reached down and allowed her to climb into his palm, an infinitely familiar action between the two. Phil didn't fail to see the way the 'Autobot' softened his gaze ever so slightly as he looked upon Tessa. The sheer volume of…_love_ that was there made him second guess himself; for one to love another that much, it would be no doubt about the ferocity Optimus would use to protect Philip Jackson's only daughter. Speaking of whom, Tessa smiled at Lucy in relief before clearing her throat and leaning over Optimus' hand to address them.

"What is it that you're so against?" she asked, her eyes primarily fixed on her father.

Phil gave a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger before he spoke. His shoulders were tense and his lips were pursed so tightly that they were going white; Optimus found himself feeling sorry that the poor human had had this dumped on him.

"It's…dangerous, Tessie. And strange. I'm not going to lie to you, the idea of you being involved with…a _machine_-"

"-Don't call him that." Tessa snapped sharply, clearly insulted by the terminology. Correcting himself, Phil raised a hand and continued.

"With this _mechanical man_, who happens to be several times your size…What if you got hurt? What if these Deceptive-con – Deception things try to kill him? Or you? You just expect me to be okay with aliens coming after my little girl. Tessie you can't _ask_ that of me!" He gave a frustrated groan and applied pressure to his right temple before gesturing to the massive robot with the same hand, "Optimus, it isn't to do with who you are as a…_person_, for lack of a better word. You're a good man, and I like you, son, I do. But you two don't honestly expect me to not be worried about this, do you?"

Somewhat relieved to have finally been addressed as a _being_ and not a moving _statue_, Optimus gave a nod as a heavy, exhaling hiss decompressed within his chest; a noise which Lucy sharply turned her head to look at in curiosity. The Prime, however, was focused on Tessa's father; whose opinion was one of the most important to him. He _wanted_ the man to accept him as suitable for his daughter, however much Optimus knew their relationships unconventionality.

"I do understand. I would expect nothing less than for your concern of your child's wellbeing; but I assure you that I would lay down my life to protect her. My people love deeply, and I have loved none the way I have her. Upon my honour as an Autobot, you have my word that will guard her. Please, sir, I _beg_ that you do not ask of me to leave her."

Philip would be lying if he said the tone in the giant robot's voice didn't make his heart ache. It was so full of love, of devotion and _desperation_; the fact that a creature so powerful as actually begging for his approval…in the manner no different to a prospective _human_ boyfriend. With a resigning groan, he ran his hands through his hair tensely before he spoke again to the massive being.

"Tessie…?" he murmured, only just loud enough for her to hear.

She turned to meet his eyes intensely as she leaned further over the barrier of his hand, "Yes?"

"Are-?" he had to clear his throat to keep the tense tone from it. This was still so unbelievable, so _unreal_ to him, "Are you _happy_?"

He noticed her hands tighten on the metal fingers that caged her and she met his eyes with certainty.

"I am, Dad."

"This…worries me, I won't lie. But you're not stupid Tess. I trust you to make your own choice, because you aren't a _kid_ anymore. Just…give me some time to process this, alright?"

Riley cleared his throat and shifted on his heels rather awkwardly before he looked up at Prime, "O-Optimus? Would you mind…putting Lucy back down now?"

A nod was his reply before his hands both lowered back to the ground and the two females were let down. Lucy was seemingly handling herself just fine, but Tessa made her way to where her family stood, and threw her arms around them without any hesitation. She stood there for a few moments just holding them all before speaking.

"I love you. All of you, and we can get through this. You'll see."

"Optimus," Phil's voice called up, his chest reverberating as he spoke, "you keep her safe. That's not a warning, it's an order. Don't give me reason to doubt my trust in her…or in you."

"You have my word."

**I apologize for both the lack of length in this chapter, and the lack of lustre. **

**Truth be told, I currently feel deflated and awful because as previously said, I was hurt by recent events. Maybe more so than I should have been, but writing is very personal for me. I over analysed every angle of this chapter, every word and action because I was concerned about how it was going to be perceived. Admittedly towards the end I just wanted to give up and trash it, but I know you're waiting for an update so I've tried to pull through for you. The plot will be moving forward very soon.**

**I probably won't update before Christmas because I think I need to take a few days to mull over recent events, so please don't hate me for a slight wait my wonderful readers, because I love you guys bunches.**

**Thank you all for the ever-appreciated support.**


	75. Frontline

**Okay, so I couldn't spend too long away from this story…I really couldn't. I decided that I'm not going to let something like this destroy what I love doing. Because as one of my reviewers said, I need to remember who I'm writing this for.**

**I STARTED this story because **_**I**_** wanted to, and I have **_**continued**_** it because you wanted me to :)**

**I write for recreation and my own personal joys, and the fact that MOST of you enjoy it is a plus. I do this because I love to create tales with my words, and I don't do it for the sake of those who just plain don't enjoy reading it.**

**Just one thing before I drop the subject for good, to the reviewer 'Curb' who seems to think that 'Writer' gave me fair criticism, I would like to just make mention of a few things to you.**

**For starters, I agree with you about there being some truth in the review; on Writer's SECOND review (**_**which I have taken into account and taken note of the actual critiques for future reference**_**). Maybe you didn't READ the **_**first**_** one, but I found it to be nothing but critique wrapped in rude, spiteful comments; and that makes it VERY hard to distinguish constructive criticism from personal attack because it didn't feel even REMOTELY helpful. He/she ripped apart my story from the guts out, so **_**DO NOT**_** inform me that I am overreacting. This story has taken me a lot of time, effort and love; I am allowed to feel hurt that someone tried to verbally rip it apart; even if they think they were being helpful.**

**Also, I find it funny that you have not logged in. Whether or not this is because to do not have a fanfiction account, I do not know. But who's to say that you aren't just 'Writer' under a different pen name? Either way I don't care anymore.**

**Readers, I'm sorry to tell you that I have now disabled anonymous reviews **_**purely**_** based on the fact that I am SICK of these attempts to 'help' me with this story being made via Anonymous Reviews. If these people are so willing to be HELPFUL, then they would sign in and leave me a way to contact them back privately; because obviously if they are trying to offer actual critique then I would want a way to reply and discuss these criticisms.**

**Because if you're so eager to scrutinize MY stories, then have balls enough to give me the chance to scrutinize **_**yours**_**.**

**Sorry to those of my reviewers who usually don't sign in to review, but I am no longer enabling them, so in future you'll have to sign in. I'm sick of this bullshit.**

**So before any more shit gets thrown in the fan, let me just say this 'Curb' and possibly 'Writer' if they are even still reading.**

**THANK YOU, I HAVE TAKEN THE CRITICISMS ON BOARD FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, WHETHER OR NOT I USE THEM IS MY OWN CHOICE AND IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT THEN BY ALL MEANS **_**LEAVE**_**! **

**PLEASE LET THIS BE THE END OF THIS, BECAUSE HAVING TO RESPOND TO YOUR REVIEWS VIA AUTHOR'S NOTES RATHER THAN PRIVATE MESSAGES IS ****GETTING ON MY NERVES****.**

**People are on this site to have fun, so if you find my story unappealing than for God sake just don't read it!**

**I mean, with over 1,500 reviews…clearly my writing is NOT total trash!**

**I am not making any more note or reference to this particular critique topic, so any more remarks on the subject will be deleted. The criticism has been duly noted now; so drop it.**

**Anyway, to those of you who actually ENJOY this story, here is another chapter for you.  
>Merry Christmas.<strong>

The remainder of the Christmas festivities were proving awkward to say the least. Optimus had chosen to reactivate the human Holoform so that he could enter the house and sit at the table with them. Lucy, who was oblivious to the tension between the adults, had been sent to watch cartoons in the living room. She had complained about wanting to stay with Tessa and her grandparents, but after Emma had threatened her with an early bedtime she had eventually done what she was told.

Thomas sat happily in his playpen in the corner of the dining room while the adults talked. Needless to say, they had plenty of questions and Optimus had been 'grilled' quite thoroughly already. Despite his own worry at such an uncharted situation; Tess believed he had taken it in his stride very well.

Her family's biggest concern was obviously her safety in regard to this so-called war that they hadn't even been aware of, and Optimus had tried to reassure them that Tessa kept very safe company. She had been surprised at just how well her own family took the situation in _their_ stride; that was until Optimus had informed them that Sideswipe and Ironhide were also members of the Autobots. And that they had been in proximity with them…

Then Riley had freaked out as it finally hit him.

"Tess, this is _wrong_! There's just something…too w_eird_ about it. I mean…an alien? Really? What if he _hurts_ you-?"

"Riley, he would never hurt me-"

Her eldest brother cut her off, "No, maybe not intentionally…but what in the Hell, Terry? The freaking robot-truck-thing outside is 30 times your size! Who's to say he _couldn't_ hurt you?" Riley, ignoring his wife's hand on his arm and Tessa's annoyed expression from his use of her hated nickname, turned and looked at Optimus, "You could _kill_ her, you know that right?"

The Prime's eyes flashed with something that bordered between anger and hurt. Anger at the thought that they could ever assume he would allow himself to harm her, and hurt because he knew that there was always the chance. It was a double edged blade that they walked, because he would always have to handle her with care. She was only human, but that would not stop him from loving her.

"I would never allow harm to come to her, and _certainly_ not by my hand. There is the chance for danger…Understand that I have analysed that from every angle, but what I feel with her is…beyond all other reasoning that I have encountered." Optimus gently clenched his fist on the table, trying to sum up every diplomatic ability that he had to try and validate his argument, "I have seen love among my kind before, witnessed millennia of it. But I would never have expected to find it for myself in the midst of war; and _never_ would I have thought to find it with a human. Our races are as much the same as they are different; and I can assure you that we love much deeper than your people."

Riley shook his head and growled, "It doesn't matter how much you _love_ Tess! You do, I know that Optimus; I _see_ that! But that doesn't change the fact that you _could_ hurt her! You can't expect me to find that okay, because I wouldn't _forgive_ you for that, man!"

A loud thump on the table drew everyone's attention to Tessa, whose eyes were ablaze with anger and frustration…and _hurt_. She leaned across the surface to stare off at Riley.

"So you're telling me, that your five-year-old daughter can accept the man I love, but you, an _adult_, can't?"

"Lucy doesn't _know_ any better-!"

"She sees _better_ than _you_ do, evidently!" Tess snarled angrily. Optimus, who was sitting beside her, tried to calm her and ease the situation.

"Tessa…his argument is valid-"

She snapped her arm away from him and turned to speak, "No, it doesn't _matter_ about his argument!" she looked back at her brother and continued her address of him, "I _love_ him, Riley. Any risks because of that are my own to take, and you can't stop me. You're my family, Riles, and I love you…but you can't ask me to give him up; I won't let Optimus go."

The eldest Jackson sibling shook his head with an exasperated sigh as he massaged his temples. "And what makes you so sure about this? What makes you think this can even work?"

Optimus noticed the way the little mechanic's fingers tightened into tense fists, her eyes watching her oldest brother carefully before wetting her lips to speak. Her voice was low and certain; non-negotiable.

"Because I trust him."

"If I could just…cut in here?" Rachael interrupted gently, looking at her daughter and Optimus with unguarded interest. The Prime found that her eyes bore straight into the soul, into one's very being…but in an infinitely gentle way; as though she saw the side that the others could see beyond the factor of danger. She viewed the scenario as a whole, the fact that her daughter was in love with someone who would die to protect her. "I find it quite _fitting_, that we've spent years using the joke that Tessie would end up marrying a car…Am I the only one who sees the irony?"

A gentle smile crossed the woman's face and she reached for Tessa, running her fingers through her daughter's hair like she had when Tess was a child.

"As…_strange_ as this situation may be, we always taught you that it's what on the inside of people that counts." Rachael's eyes drifted to Riley, then to Phil and back to her son, "He's a _good_ man-"

"-He's not a _man_, Mom!" Riley tried, but she raised a hand to silence him with the authority that only a mother could possess.

"But he's _good_, Riley; and he loves her. What would you have said if we'd told you that you weren't allowed to be with Emma because she's Cherokee? You would have moved Heaven and Earth to change our minds. Love is universal, sweetheart; you _know_ that."

"Your mother…your mother's right." Phil said suddenly, his firm baritone commanding all the eyes in the room. Optimus briefly found himself thinking that it was a shame the man was not military; for he would have made a magnificent leader, "We don't have to _like_ the risks…but we need to accept that Tessie is willing to take them…" he turned to Tessa across the table, his brow creased in tense stress, "You _do_ understand the risk you're taking, don't you? Not just with this relationship…but with his part in a war?"

The young woman reached beside her to loop her arm into Optimus' and intertwined their fingers without breaking eye contact with her father, "I understand them, Dad; I _accept_ them."

Frustrated at the whole situation, Phil put his head in his hands and ran them through his hair, tugging a little tension at the strands. Nora put a hand on his shoulder and inhaled deeply before speaking. "I think…we should start serving lunch. Enough with the serious talk, it's _Christmas Day_ for goodness sake. Let's be a family like we're supposed to…even _if_ one of us happens to be an alien refugee."

Tessa noticed that her step-mother winked at her and it made relief flow through her veins like an endorphin. So maybe it was only reluctantly, but her family had all but agreed to accept Optimus; even if it was only out of respect to her. They could see how much she loved him, how much he loved _her_; and that she was not going to let him go for all the world.

"Yeah…" she agreed with a tense smile, trying to quell away the stress of the morning, "Let's have lunch."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Well…That didn't go as well as I'd hoped for…but it was better than I _expected_." Tessa said gently, her head dropping back to lean on the seat rest as they rumbled down the highway in the dark.

The radio was silent in response.

This reaction worried Tess, because Optimus had been relatively quiet for the remainder of the Christmas lunch, and also as it had stretched on into evening. He'd willingly answered the questions and queries of her family without hesitation; including the details of Mission City which even Tessa had not been involved in. Clearly he'd found it necessary to inform them of the things that the Autobots had been involved in previously, even if it had nothing to do with his relationship to Tess.

In any case, his otherwise rather reserved nature towards the evening concerned her, because it was not like Optimus to withdraw. He was a leader, and it was in his nature to tackle things head on no matter the challenge.

"Chief…?" she tried gently, pressing a hand to the leather of the upholstery, "Are you going to tell me what's on your mind? You're so quiet…"

The speakers fizzled just a little bit before his voice finally came through on the surround sound, "I apologize…I have not been the greatest company today-"

"-It's not that, Optimus." Tess assured him with a warm smile, wrapping the cabin blanket around her tightly to stay warm, "I'm just worried about you; it's not like you to just clam up like this."

"It wasn't my intention, I'm sorry. It has just…been a difficult day to process. It has been a long time since I have had to inform any human outside of the military about the Autobots' existence. While it _has_ been a stressful concern, I must confess that it…is a _lightening_ feeling to know that your family is no longer restricted from our secret." His voice sounded tired, but relatively content. But Tess knew that he was thinking about _how_ her family had reacted to the news; to how opposed they were at first. They now accepted it, but the ground was tentative and a little reluctant on their part.

It was going to take time and work to build up their trust, but Tessa was certain that one day they would come to view Optimus as the same wonderful being that she did.

Tracing her fingers briefly over the steering wheel, she gave a heavy sigh and forced a smile as she felt the stress of the day slipping behind them. "They'll come around, Optimus. Don't worry. They loved you before they knew, and given some time they'll love you _again_; you being a giant alien robot from Cybertron is just…a lot for them to digest."

She heard a short sound come from the speakers, one that sounded like a smile before he spoke again, "It is understandable, and for what it's worth…I am glad that this is resolved for now. Your family are good and whole, Tessa, and they have loved you for longer than I. Their opinion is important to me; for _that_ reason if nothing else, because they are a part of _you_."

Wrapping the cabin blanket tighter around her shoulders, she snuggled into the backing of the leather upholstery and gave a contented smile, "Everything will be fine, although you _do_ realize that when Aaron gets here after New Year, we'll have to let him in on it too, right?"

Optimus gave a chuckle and she felt the seatbelt tighten a little snugger around her in an almost embrace, "Something tells me that Aaron would be much more accepting, given that he seems to share your fascination with vehicles."

She gave a scoff at the thought, her mind slipping into the memories at the back of her head and replaying images of her childhood with her two brothers. "Yeah, well…Aaron has always been my partner in crime. You should have seen some of the things that we did when we were kids! Oh, Optimus I swear; you've never seen anything like it!" she was unable to refrain from the giggle that escaped her at the recollection of some of their more _mischievous_ adventures as children.

The Prime gave a chuckle and made a please rumbling noise, "Tell me."

"There wasn't _anything_ that we wouldn't have tried for a laugh. One time we put a frog in Riley's bed while he was sleeping, and I don't think I've ever heard a boy scream in such a girly way as he did! Oh it was so _funny_! And then there was that time when Aaron had a teacher in elementary school that flunked him from math; Az always _hated_ math. Anyway after school before we went home, we went into the classroom and glued the pages of _all_ the mathematics textbooks together. ALL of them Aaron didn't have to take Math for another week until the new books were ordered!"

Optimus found his Spark swelling with happiness at the joyful sound in her voice as she talked . Even now, after having known her for over a year, it still astounded him at just how much love she had for her family. He could not clearly remember much about is life before becoming Prime; the memories of Orion Pax seemed so distant and blurred to him now.

All he clearly recalled now was being a leader. Always being a _leader_.

"You sound like you were quite the mischievous influence…" he said teasingly, knowing full well that she would more than likely jump to defend herself.

"_Me_?" she squeaked playfully, "I'm the _youngest_ sibling! They were the ones that always influenced _me_! I was the adorable and innocent one. I was a total angel!"

There it was. The amusingly playful and unserious rebuttal in order to turn mischief onto her brothers. It seemed so typical of siblings to blame one another for the rap; such a _rivalry_ thing to do but when done playfully, was endearing to see.

Perhaps he and Megatron had once not been so different when they were comrades. He referred to him once as 'brother', but it was not in the literal sense as Tessa's own siblings. He and Megatron had been brothers-in-arms, brethren by choice and claim. Their centuries long war between their two factions had somewhat clouded the memories they had once shared all those eons ago, but time would never dull the emotional pain that it caused Optimus every time he'd had to strike the one he had once seen as his family.

Such pain never went away, and it never would. Even now the very idea of one day facing off with Megatron _worried_ him. The Prime was under no illusions about Megatron's loyalty, there was no going back to the way things were once upon a time; there was no allowance for surrender or mercy, because Megatron would never offer a truce. He would inevitably be required to face his 'brother' in combat and he dreaded the very thought of that day arriving…

…because he would have to kill him.

As a Prime, he would not shy away from the task his role demanded of him; which was to preserve peace and freedom no matter the cost. However the part of him that was once just Orion, a Cybertronian civilian who looked to Megatron as a friend, comrade, a brother; that part of him dreaded the idea of them ever crossing blades. He would do what was required for freedom, to protect his soldiers, his new home; to protect his _mate_. But that did not mean that he didn't both dread and fear the task that lay before him…the task it would one day be necessary for him to complete.

Trying to shake the suddenly painful and sinister thoughts from his mind, Optimus gave a chuckle to try and bring himself to the more pleasant moment that he was currently in; driving his femme back to her home while she reminisced with him about the joys in her life.

Yes, _this_ was where he wanted to be. With her.

"I find it wonderful that your family cares so much for you, even if it means that they are wary of me." He said, not sounding at all upset at the idea of her family feeling that way towards him, because he knew that it meant they cared about her, "I was not lying when I said that I would move stars to find you, Tessa. Whatever your family requires of me to earn their complete trust, I will be willing to do."

With a scoffing chuckle and a shake of her head, she tenderly ran a hand along the dashboard in a fond gesture. They were both tired, the day's events having exhausted them both in terms of eventfulness, and emotional stress. It suddenly occurred to her that even after he dropped her off at her home, there would still be a fair drive to the N.E.S.T base before he could actually _rest_…

"You should stay at my house tonight, Chief. I don't want you driving all the way back to base after today." She said softly.

"It really isn't a problem-" he started, but she cut him off gently with an cheeky smile.

"Optimus, it's been a really long, _really_ stressful day today. We're both tired, but I get to be dropped off home all safe and sound. I don't want you to go, okay? Please stay; I have a section of driveway with your name on it. Okay?"

She heard the a baritone chuckle roll up through the surround sound and out the speakers as he replied to her. His voice, although tired and weary; sounded grateful and content in their response.

"Alright Tessa, I will rest. Only because you insist on issuing me with orders."

She could hear the teasing note of his voice, and she knew that he was mocking her. The thought made her smile; glad that they could have some time to relax and be content in each other's company regardless of the day's events.

"That's right, Prime." She said playfully, "Do as your superiors tell you, got it?" she traced her nails lightly along the seams of the leather, smiling broadly at their playful bantering. She heard him laugh again as they turned off the highway and into the more cluttered suburban areas before he replied; the sound simply music to her ears, despite the mocking title he chose to give her.

"As you command, my lady."


	76. Tsuki No Uta

**SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT! I know you hate me for it! **

**So this chapter is basically some interactions between Optimus and the Autobots, mostly a conversation between Optimus and Arcee about certain previous femme's ;) It's a celebratory chapter about New Year's, and more plot development should HOPEFULLY come next time.**

**Oh also, I've decided to change Arcee's design in this one; look up pictures of Arcee from Transformers: Prime, that's the design I MUCH prefer on her and I like it better :) Also there is going to be a 'mystery bot' turning up in Primary Mechanisms at some point.**

**I've had a few people asking me if I'll be bringing Elita-One into the story as a 'hiccup' for Tess and OP.**

**The answer is no, it won't be Elita.**

**Also; if you want references for Ironhide's fireworks display, here are the links that I used as inspiration, minus the spaces.**

**First firework: www . youtube . com/watch?v=b_VjYTr4N-A&feature=related**

**Finale: www . youtube . com/watch?v=D7mp7k6fmLs**

**Happy New Year's you wonderful, WONDERFUL people!**

It felt like it had been forever since she'd been able to spend personal time with _all_ of the Autobots, so when N.E.S.T had taken a more 'lazy' day to prepare for New Year's Eve; she was more than grateful for the opportunity.

The soldiers had cleared the tarmac and made sure that all vehicles and aircrafts were well out of the way; because tonight there were going to be _fireworks_. As soon as Ironhide had heard about _that_ tradition, he'd been all too happy to help set them up; but only on the condition that he was allowed to make a few out of Energon. Apparently Energon would make for a bigger explosion reaction, and Tess would be lying to say she wasn't looking forward to it.

The sun was only just beginning to set, but already the soldiers had started to wind down and a few of them were starting to set up bonfires in barrel drums along the tarmac; to provide light as well as warmth against the winter night that was settling.

Most of them were out of uniform, choosing to dress in warmer casual clothes to protect better against the chill than their army greens could. Graham and Epps, who were currently sitting either side of her watching the commotion, were both dressed in warm winter gear; Epps was wearing a college hoody beneath his jacket to protect his bald head; a fact which Tess found hilarious.

Lennox wasn't there that night, because he'd wanted to bring in the new year with his family. However Epps' wife, Monique, had insisted on having their children in bed at their normal bed-time, so he had resolved to spend some time with his comrades _outside_ of working hours.

"You know, big man told us about what happened at Christmas," Epps said suddenly, "with your folks."

Tessa looked over at him, as did Graham at the same time, "Yeah? It went…okay. I think they'll just need time to digest the situation…but they loved Optimus for who he was, and that part of him hasn't changed just because he's a giant robotic alien."

Epps shrugged, this situation wasn't something he'd personally had to go through; so there wasn't really much that he could say by way of reassurance aside from what his opinion was. "Well, if your family is as wonderful as you're always saying, they'll probably come around eventually. Just give 'em a while."

Tess gave a smile and nodded, wrapping her jacket tighter around herself.

Across the tarmac, Optimus was helping Ironhide and the others to set up the Energon fireworks; given that he partly wanted to make sure that the trigger happy weapons specialist was going _too_ crazy with them. It felt like it had been a long while since he'd been able to spend off-duty time with his soldiers, given that most of his free time away from war-conferencing with Tess. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his comrades, it was just that a blooming romance, teamed with everything that came with it, was incredibly distracting. However he was glad to see that Tessa was also using the evening's festivities to catch up with her own N.E.S.T friends.

In fact, Mikaela and Bumblebee had been invited to the celebration; and he was pleased when he saw the yellow scout's alt mode flying across base to the main tarmac. Tessa had jumped up from her place to greet Bumblebee and Mikaela, but Optimus couldn't hear their conversation from this distance so instead he resolved to continue with the task at hand.

"You're staring at her again, Optimus." Arcee said smugly.

Startled out of his own thoughts, the leader shook his head to clear his mind and looked down at the smaller femme. Arcee, after a recent discussion with Tess about the hilarity, magnitude and wonderfulness of television make-over programmes, had designed to change her alt mode form. Vanity was not a trait Arcee possessed, but like any other female; she appreciated the idea of a fresh look.

Arcee's new alt mode, after much careful consideration, was the newest model of a Suzuki Hayabusa; the 2011 model which was a lovely dark-steel blue.

"Staring?" Optimus asked her, in reference to the statement she'd made earlier.

The now navy-blue femme gave an almost scoff and shook her head amusedly, "Tessa," she stated again, "you only ever look _that_ lovesick when you're looking at her. It's sweet."

"Hey, Prime!" Sideswipe called abruptly, "Can we set off a Trio-Cannon?"

Optimus quickly turned 180 degrees and rose a hand concernedly, "_No_, Sideswipe. It's much too dangerous."

"Aw come on, Optimus!" the silver bot tried playfully, "It'd look so _cool_."

The leader shook his head gently, "Too dangerous."

Sideswipe shrugged and proceeded to anchor one of the Energon 'bottle-rockets' into the dirt near the concrete. Even though Ironhide was really the only one who knew how to _use_ them, all of the Autobots had volunteered to help set it up. Skids and Mudflap had even managed to do a little work…in between punch-ups and fights.

Speaking of which…

A loud whistling sound was heard before one of the fire rockets, which had been set off, exploded in the air with a crackling bang. The twins were the ones at the base of the smoke line, and Mudflap turned to punch his brother.

"Yo man! I _tol'_ joo we was s'posed to jus' stick 'em in the ground! You wasn't s'posed to set 'em _off_!"

Skids shouldered his brother in retaliation as he rebutted, "Was _your_ fault, stoopid!"

"Did not!"

"Was too!"

"-Sweet Primus will you two shut up already?" came Ironhide's gruff voice. The weapons specialist made his way across the base with only a few remaining Energon rockets left in his grasp. Jolt followed closely behind, his calm expression not reacting at all to the twins' bickering. "Jolt and I finished setting up the main display."

"Ironhide," Optimus said, "I hope that you haven't…gone too far with the quantity of these rockets?"

The black mech scoffed at his leader and friend before elbowing Prime jestingly.

"Relax, will you? Basic explosive rockets, minimal Energon in the engines. They're weak; but they'll give a flashy bang at least."

Jolt cast a vague glance at the twins, who were still quietly shoving each other after having been reprimanded, before he looked up at Optimus. "Why are we celebrating again? Humans have so many evenings like this one; what is the tradition exactly?"

Optimus' optics dimmed for a moment as he retrieved the information from his processors. He had asked Tessa the same question, having been confused as to the same thing that had confused Jolt. She'd then proceeded to explain to him the process of the 365 days in a year being the length of time that their planet took to rotate around the sun. She'd informed him that it was something of a worldwide tradition to gather, drink, dance and just generally celebrate the beginning of a new year. It was thought to be the chance of new beginnings and fresh starts.

It didn't take much explaining for Jolt to understand; but in all honesty a lot of the Autobots were just happy for an excuse to break out the High-Grade, which was the Cybertronian form of alcohol. Considering it wasn't exactly a plentiful thing on Earth, they tried to preserve it for special occasions.

Although several of the Autobots had already been here for a few years, the more recent arrivals, such as Jolt and Arcee for instance, had yet to really experience some of humanity's cultures. Therefore it was understandable that they were unfamiliar with many of the traditions; after all most of them were simply soldiers that followed their orders.

Prime was the ambassador for their people, and so he was more so the one familiar with humanity's traditions and cultures; rather than his troops.

After Optimus had filled Jolt in on the details and traditions of New Year, Ratchet who had been overseeing the distribution of the High-Grade from his medical stores, approached the congregation with the dignity of an exasperated parent.

"Everything is ready, Optimus…I'm astounded at how easily _excitable_ humans are at the mention of a party, particularly of alcohol."

"Awright!" Skids cheered, pumping both of his metal fists into the air before punching his win playfully, "Les' blow up dat sky!"

Arcee looked over at the other mechs and gave an almost scoff before moving to follow the quickly departing twins, "Well, I suppose we'd better get Optimus back to his femme…he looks so _forlorn_ without her."

Prime looked at her with an arched optic ridge, internally a little offended by the comment that his martial tactician had made. "What are you implying, Arcee?" he asked seriously, "I cannot say that I appreciate what I think you're trying to suggest…"

She paused in her steps and looked up at their leader in concern, fearing that she had offended him. Upon reflection, she realized that it has sounded a little like she was implying a lack of independence; which was certainly not a trait that the Prime had ever been without. After all, _they_ depended so heavily on _him_ that it was impossible for him to _not_ be independent.

"Oh, no Optimus; I didn't mean anything by it. I just think that it's remarkable to see you so devoted to a cause outside of this war after so long; I mean after Elita-"

"-Elita is gone, Arcee." He said calmly, taking on the tone of a friend. He had known Arcee a long time, they had fought together with Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide and countless other Cybertronians in their planet's final days.

"I know that, Optimus. She was my friend too." The femme replied firmly, "But after we lost her…I never thought that you would find another to share yourself with; certainly not a human either. I suppose that I just assume that you and Elita were…_permanent_ if you know what I mean…"  
>Optimus took a few steps to follow the group of Autobots that were now ahead of him, walking beside the smaller femme with a shake of his head. "We were not. We did not Sparkbond with one another, and although it was painful to lose her in Cybertron's destruction…it would have been much worse if we had been Sparkmates."<p>

Arcee nodded, "You wouldn't have been able to love Tessa if you had bonded with Elita; your Spark wouldn't have had room for her."

"Precisely."

A heavy hiss escaped her vocal processors as they walked. The two had been comrades for a long time before Cybertron's demise, and if not comrades then they were at the very least amicable friends. Arcee was headstrong, and a swift, capable fighter; she looked to Optimus as her commander, but he had also been the one that held Elita's affection.

"Elita was my best friend, Optimus. I loved her like sparklings from the same parent…but I am _glad_ that you found Tessa. If Elita-One was always destined to die on Cybertron, then it's better that you hadn't Sparkbonded with her. I think that…if you had been Spark-broken by her death…you might not have come this far in the war. Not as a doubt to your leadership, Optimus; but losing a mate is the most difficult thing that we can suffer."

"Cliffjumper?"

Arcee nodded, "Yeah…"

With a heavy exhalation, Optimus put a hand on his subordinate's shoulder in the hope of providing some comfort. "Unlike Elita, Cliffjumper's death was not certain. There is still a chance."

"Perhaps." She replied, clearing her vocal processors and shrugging his hand away, "This is supposed to be a celebration, Prime; so let's go and celebrate." Optimus found his facial plates upturning into a smile at her statement; they were both ready to move to happier subjects.

"A fine suggestion, Arcee."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"I can't believe that you'll actually be _living_ on base!" Tess grinned happily, nudging Mikaela with her shoulder under the blanket they were sharing.

The younger girl smiled, clearly unable to contain how happy the idea made her. "Yeah, I know right? I don't have to _leave_ them, and I can work with them whenever they need me."

Tessa felt a chill shiver up her spine as a wind blew across the base. All the soldiers on base (_apart from the few who were in charge of the fireworks_) were sitting on the empty tarmac looking up at the sky, as were the Autobots. It was only a few more minutes to midnight and the two mechanics were sitting comfortably in Bumblebee's lap; the yellow bot having had just a little too much High-Grade to stand up at present. The Cybertronian had also impaired his ability to string together any radio snippets that made any sense, and Tess assumed that this was his version of drunken slurring.

Admittedly, Tessa had also had a few drinks herself, but she hadn't had enough to make herself drunk; she disliked the feeling of not being in control of her own body.

"You know," she said gently, shoulder to shoulder with her friend, "they told me that you'll mostly just be working on the choppers and ground vehicles until Ratchet and I can bring you up to speed on the Cybertronian way of mechanics."

Mikaela shrugged happily, "Sure, that works for me. I can't _wait_ to see how things run here."

"Have you heard from Sam? How are you doing with it all?"

Tess didn't miss the way the brunette girl's nose wrinkled a little bit in what seemed to be annoyance at mention of the boy. Clearly she was past the pining stage and was now just not fond of him.

"Sam…well he tried to call me and sort it out a few times, but I made it quite clear that we were done with. I was happy to still be friends with him but he didn't want that; which I _totally_ get, because it would be kind of weird. I wish him well, I really do…but his life just isn't with me."

Tess wrapped an arm tightly around the slender teen's shoulders and hugged her, "That's a really adult way of looking at it Kaela. It will be okay; _you'll_ be okay. It might take time, but both of you can grow from this. Maybe it'll be a good change for Sam too."

"I hope so."

"-Hey! One more minute till New Year!" called one of the soldiers from across the tarmac.

Tessa and Mikaela shared a look before tossing aside their blanket and climbing out of Bumblebee's lap. All of the soldiers were getting to their feet too and the Autobots had followed suit as well. Mikaela climbed up onto Bumblebee's shoulder and was watching the black, star-studded sky with anticipation. Desperate for a better vantage point, Tessa swung around looking for the familiar blue and red feet of her Autobot partner.

It had been a little trickier in the dark; unable to make out much more than shapes against the dark sky, but eventually she found him and kicked the Prime in the foot with a loud _ping_ against the metal.

"Lift me up, Chief!" she called up to him, "Quick! Before the fireworks start!"

She was sure that she heard him laugh at her as he crouched down on his haunches and held out his hand to her so that she could use it as a platform. Lifting her slowly so that the height difference wouldn't affect her body so much, he brought her up to his shoulder and rested her between the smokestack there.

She grinned broadly and planted a hand on the gear of his finial, holding herself steady as she looked out at the sky with a beaming expression. "Here it comes, this is the _best_ part of the entire year!"

Optimus gave a chuckle and felt his Spark warm at having her so close; so _happy_. "I will take your word for it."

"Okay everyone," Epps yelled, cupping his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice, "Get ready from 5! 4!"

Everyone bar the Autobots joined in the countdown, seeing as it was not their tradition.

"3!"

Tessa's fingers tightened on his finial gear as she yelled with all her might along with the soldiers.

"2!"

Optimus cast a glance at the little female on his shoulder, smiling to himself at the huge, excited grin that he could see lighting up her face. Any hurt that he had ever suffered was numb when he was with her; he'd never thought that he; Optimus Prime, would be able to love someone as much as he loved her right now.

"1!"

The air paused before a massive communal scream rang out across the base.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Tessa's incessant giggling on Optimus' shoulder was cut short with an astounded gasp as the sky lit up with the sound of fireworks. Colours flashed across the stars, drowning them out and washing the base in a flurry of colours and crackling sparks. The explosives were loud, but to all the Autobots' surprise, every time a bang filled the air; everyone cheered.

It was a time of celebration, they didn't care about noise.

He couldn't quite put a servo on it, but there was something different in the air right now; something that felt quite magical. Humans were a young race, and yet their understanding of seizing the moment was so much more honed than Cybertron's own. Magic existed on Earth because the humans _made_ it.

And they had become a part of it.

Pressing a finger to the finial on the other side of his head from Tessa, he activated his Com-Link to Ironhide to signal to him.

:_Show them your fireworks, Ironhide_:

A brief click was heard shortly after as he felt the weapons specialist respond. :_Yes sir!_:

With a satisfied smile, Optimus turned to face Tessa; his blue optics casting an almost eerie glow on her cheekbones as opposed to the gold and red hues of the explosives.

"Tessa." He rumbled gently, making her turn to face him with a wide-eyed and glowing expression.

"Yeah?"

He raised a hand to her and traced the side of her face with one finger; his nose nuzzling into her tenderly as he murmured, "We will show you _our_ fireworks."

"Wha-?" she was cut off by her attention being drawn to the massively _loud_ whistle of what sounded like a really _heavy_ rocket. A loud, deep rumbling bang was heard before the sky was engulfed in a deep yellow explosion that shook the very atmosphere. "Oh my _God_!" she gasped, her features unable to hide the sheer awe in her eyes.

Ironhide's fireworks continued, many of them going off in succession; making the twins whoop in joy. Each round of explosives was larger and more magnificent than the last, and Tess had never seen anything like it; normal fireworks would never have the same effect ever again!

"Chief!" she exclaimed distantly, her fingers tracing the etchings on his cheeks, "This is incredible!"

He said nothing, merely smiled to himself and sat down on the concrete to watch the rest of them with her. The last shot of Energon fireworks had only a single rocket, and when it exploded it seemed as though it was going to just fizzle out; but then the sparks relit themselves and went a deep, violent red before resparking _again_ even bigger. A massive cloud of morphing golden-orange light illuminated the sky, flashing colour across every stunned human's face.

It was incredible; the most amazing display of explosives and fireworks that she had ever seen in her whole life.

And she'd got to share it with _them_.

Feeling her heart pounding with the sheer magic of the beautiful displays and the wonderful _atmosphere_, she turned to Optimus and flung her arms around his helmet, her breath escaping her. "This was amazing, Optimus Prime. I'm so glad we all got to share this together."

A pleasant chuckle rumbled up his chest as he returned her fond affection with his own, however cumbersome it always was.

"As am I, Tessa; as am I." In response, she clutched him tighter and gave off an ecstatic, giddy laugh and dropped her voice to a happy, content hum.

"Happy New Year, Chief."


	77. Hit The Floor

**HELLOOOOOOOOOO! I KNOW I KNOW IT'S BEEN FAR TOO LONG SINCE MY LAST UPDATE AND I'M **_**SORRY**_**!**

**The reason for the delay is a few things, first off the whole ordeal with a few really bad reviewers got me down a little bit and I confess that I did lose a little bit of my gusto for writing. But mostly, I've just been enjoying a break over the Christmas/New Year period. Work is really stressful these days and seems to sap away all of my energy.**

**But we're back on track now, and it's good to be back; I've really missed reading all the wonderful reviews and laughs that you guys send to me.**

**So, without further delay, I present you with the next chapter of Primary Mechanisms. Hope you all enjoy it.**

**Also, anybody wanting to see the new blue paintjob of Aaron's Mack Titan, just copy and paste the link below, minus the spaces. Pay no attention to the trailers, it's the truck and sleeping cabin that are the image you're looking for :)**

**farm5 . static . flickr . com/4124/5214982996_724baa0ea5 . jpg**

"Are you _sure_ that you don't want to come with me?"

"No, I think your initial plan is the best way to do this."

Tessa was perched on Optimus' shoulder holding onto the finial gear where his ears would be, strolling across the Diego Garcia base with him. It had been nearly a week since the New Year's celebrations and Aaron had finally been able to make it home; even if it _was_ only for a few days. Tess was going to be meeting up with him, spending the day catching up with him before she tried to prepare him for the 'alien secret' that she was going to spring on him.

She'd asked the rest of the family not to say anything to Aaron about Optimus, because the little mechanic wanted to tell him herself. She was going to try and explain the situation to him and then they were meeting up with Optimus, who would then show his true form to the brash trucker.

Tess was hoped and prayed that Aaron would understand…

Planting a kiss on the metal of his cheek, she allowed Optimus to lower her back down to the ground, placing her gently beside her Valiant. Her feet stung a little from the pins and needles of having sat on his shoulder for so long, but shifting from one foot to the other a few times fixed the problem and she put her hand on the door of her car.

"Okay then." Tess smiled, "Well I'll keep you posted about where to meet. I just want to spend a little bit of time with Az before I try and break the news to him."

A fond expression flashed through his optics before he extended one finger and stroked from her head down the side of her body, "I will wait for your word."

A nod was her response before she sat in the driver's seat and shut the door, hanging one arm out of the window as she looked up at him, "You got it, Chief."

0-0-0-0-0

Tess sat nervously on the hood out her car as she waited. Aaron had told her that he was running a little bit late, having had to sort out some paperwork from his last delivery before making his way to their meeting place.

His visit was only a stop-off between jobs, and in another few days he was headed out toward the coastland on his next run. Tess was just glad that she'd managed to secure him long enough to let him in on the secret of Optimus and his true identity; she felt like she'd been lying to her family long enough. In a lot of ways Aaron could probably be considered her favourite brother, not because she loved Riley any less than him; but because she and the middle sibling had always seen on more of an eye-to-eye level.

Partners in crime.

The morning sun was warming her up a little through her sweater, and she found herself enjoying the brisk winter breeze. It was the perfect contrast, ice cold surroundings with a lovely clear sun beating down and heating everything to just the right level of warmth. Seeing as spring was only a few weeks away, there had been very little snow; in fact all winter it had done little more than frost over at night a few times.

_Probably global warming_, Tess thought to herself.

As the little mechanic crossed her legs and picked at her nails in a bored fashion, she suddenly heard the familiar rumble of her brother's mammoth truck. The diesel engine could be heard over the general bustle of the sparsely occupied car park, and the highway that ran alongside it. She felt a twitch in the corner of her mouth, a smile that she couldn't and wouldn't try to hide. Seeing her family always gave her a sense of unrestrained happiness, of safety and warmth.

The fact that this brother of hers, rumbling across the bitumen in his spectacular behemoth Mack, had shielded and protected Tess her entire life… She had never been without them, as the youngest child she had spent her entire life with them at her side; guarding her flank. The young woman gave a light chuckle at the memory of all their antics and misadventures, of their memories and their childhood fights.

A loud screeching hiss was heard as Aaron's truck finally came to a complete stop and he placed it into park. The sun gleamed off the paintjob that he'd had done on it during his most recent stay with her, and she had to admit that she liked it better than the original.  
>Underneath the dust and dirt, the metallic blue was smooth and gorgeous, accessorized with blockings of white and gunmetal grey that accented it with an almost military sharpness. The steel blue metal, dirtied with dust and mud from life on the road, lined the wheel arches and the chrome bumper guard had thousands of bugs on the front of it; this made her laugh as Aaron climbed down from the beast's cabin.<br>"The truck looks like it's in better shape than you are!" she teased, giggling as he scoffed and threw his massive arms around her.

"Aw shit, Tessie! Y'all gon' hurt my feelin's if ye say things like that!" he growled as he laughed, swinging her in a complete circle in the air before dropping her back to earth. Reaching out he engulfed her head in one massive palm and ruffled her head, "Don't f'get, I've still got me shotgun in the pass'nger seat!"

"Hey!" she snapped jokingly, shouldering him into the side of the truck with a grin, "Don't threaten your baby sister like that, you bunion-assed hick!"

A mockingly hurt expression crossed his face before he scoffed with a playful grin and caught her in a headlock, roughing up her hair with his knuckles. After a brief scuffle and an elbow to the stomach, he released her and crossed his arms as he addressed her.  
>"So, what's the plan fer' today? We doin' somethin' special? I mean, hell Tessie, I ain't seen ye since last year!" Aaron's voice was unable to hide the cheeky tone at his joke, the one that was common for when people caught up after New Year. She laughed and linked her arm with him, pointing at the massive mall of the car park they were currently in.<p>

"We're going to go and have something to eat, maybe see a movie or something…and then…" she internally braced herself at the thought before continuing, "and then we're going to meet up with Optimus."

Az clicked his tongue and gave her a thumbs up before thumping the side of his truck affectionately, "Sounds good. What'cha think? Th' new paintjob comes up nice n' all now that it's comin' up with a good coat o' dust!"  
>Clutching the sleeve of his red flannel shirt as they made their way from the truck towards the shopping complex Tess snickered at her brother happily, "Just needed to break it in, huh?"<br>"Yep! Trucker can't have no truck withou' signs of 'is road."

Their journey across the car park to the mall consisted of a handful of silly, immature jokes, discussions of recent Christmas and New Year celebrations and several attempts to trip one another over. They ended up heading for lunch at a small restaurant bar on the top floor of the complex where they sat in one of the corner booths to catch up. Tess ordered a chocolate frappe and a small vegetarian pizza while Aaron ordered himself a beer and a steak with fries, making a statement about how it was nice to have a meal that wasn't either out of a can or scraped from the fat-fryer of a truck-stop.

The trucker had been kept especially busy over the Christmas period with mountains of deliveries and deadlines all over the inland of the country, he'd had very little time to stop and rest between jobs.

"Couple o' times I don' even remember pullin' over before I fell asleep. All muscle memory, ye jus' do what yer body is used ta doin' in those sorta situations." A shrug rippled through his burly shoulders before he sliced his steak knife into the meat and took a bite, "Wish the damn company'd least give us cruise control or somethin'."

Tess laughed and swallowed a mouthful of her pizza, finding herself enjoying in the chance to just spend some time with her brother before she tried to break the news to him about who Optimus was and what N.E.S.T really did.

"Aw, you just want to be able to put your feet up on the console and let the truck drive itself! You're such a lazy hick! Ow!"

Az gave her a sly grin as he kicked her under the table, continuing to eat his steak as though nothing had happened. This was an old trick that the three Jackson siblings had pulled on each other countless times at the dinner table during their childhood. Kicking under the table and seeing who would get caught out first, which was usually Tess considering she was the worst liar in the family.

After lunch and a brief argument about who was footing the bill, Tessa had decided to drag Aaron around the mall in search of a gift for him. She'd not bought him anything for Christmas purely because he was _terrible_ to buy for, and in the end she ended up paying for some new jeans, a few comfortable shirts and a silver Zippo lighter. Upon purchasing the lighter, she then proceeded to scold him about still smoking; a habit which he said he would be unlikely to kick no matter how much she griped at him about it.

Once they'd finished shopping for Aaron, they made a pit stop at Tessa's place to drop off her car; Aaron wanted to take his Mack through a car wash and he didn't want to have to be taking two vehicles around all day. So they ended up driving back into town and pulling off the highway into a truck-stop so that he could get out and scrub the behemoth beast.  
>Tessa had been delighted to see that it was in fact a <em>manual<em> wash station, because this gave her the opportunity to annoy her older brother. Just like a good little sister should. It wasn't long into the process that she began to fling soap suds at him, enjoying the light-hearted game immensely. It was difficult to have to be away from him for such long periods of time, but she always found that no matter how long any member of her family had been away; they always picked up where they left off.

Slapping Aaron in the face with a wet sponge, she screeched and ducked out of the way of the truck-stop pressure hose that he aimed in her direction, instead hitting his truck with the icy spray and washing some of the soap away. Tess snickered and stuck her tongue out at him as the sudsy water slid over the vehicle's hood, which she was poking out from behind.

"You missed, trucker! Can't you aim better than _that_?" She laughed teasingly. He glowered at her playfully and switched hands with the hose.

"Bring it lil' lady."

What neither of them realized (_least of all Aaron, who was not aware of aliens on his planet…yet_) was that there was a non-descript looking black sedan parked across the stop at the gas station side. It was a seemingly common car, a typical four-door vehicle with dark tint and a few scratches and dents overall. What wasn't common about it was the tiny silver badge on its hood which could only be recognized as an alien symbol. An emblem…

:_Tripwire reporting, Lord Megatron. Have detected Prime's Energon signature. Appears to be in the presence of humans…permission to engage?:_

_:No. Stay close and observe. Prime has guarded his signature for centuries, you fool! What makes you think he would be stupid enough to reveal it now? Just follow and make certain, then report to me when you have confirmation:_

A distinctively Cybertronian chirp was heard, a confirmative noise from the black sedan to its superior. Clearly it was nothing more than a 'drone' or generic Decepticon, because it was not notable, nor particularly memorable on the hierarchy food chain. It was there to follow orders; a scout.

_:Affirmative, Lord Megatron. Observation until hostile signature confirmed:_

The black sedan backed out of the gas station and pulled in to another spot, a little bit closer this time. The unsuspecting humans in its sights were completely unaware of its presence, and continued their water war with great enthusiasm.

Tessa squealed loudly as the hose spray hit her in the face, misting the ends of her hair and making them damp and frizzy. She pulled an offended face and put her hands on her hips with a mocking scowl as she picked up her weapon of choice from the soaked concrete; a large car sponge.

"Alright hillbilly, enough messing around! Do you want a clean truck or not?" she teased, slapping the sponge onto the grill bar at the front of the truck, trying to scrub away the bugs that had been splattered to its framework, "Seriously, Az…do you _try_ to find the biggest clouds of bugs to drive through? These things are _everywhere_!"

He shrugged nonchalantly and applied the hose to the mudguards at the front of the vehicle, "Well, can't say I get much time t' stop while I'm on the road, y'know? It's jus' too tight a ship to try'n get any maintenance done in b'tween."

Life on the road was tough and lonely for truckers, Tess knew because there were many nights where she'd sat up late on the phone to him as he drove interstate. Aaron was not a needy person nor a social butterfly, but that didn't mean that he didn't get lonely. Having grown up in a household where a lot of emphasis was put on togetherness and family, he was naturally a homely person. In fact Tess found it sad that he hadn't yet found a girl and settled down yet, because he was a warm, loyal and protective person; he'd have made a wonderful father figure.

Aaron had always been the more solitary one in the family, the one who never wanted anything outside of what he already had. He'd chosen the life of a trucker not only because it was a good way to save money, but because he got paid to drive a truck. Tessa's middle brother had always shared her love and interest in vehicles; granted he didn't have the same mechanical knowhow as she did, but they'd always shared an interest in makes, models and designs.

It was something about the rough-and-tumble trucker that she'd always adored; after all he'd given Tess her first build-it-yourself car when she was only 5 years old, a red and white Ford Falcon GT XY which even now sat on the shelf in her garage for when she worked on the Valiant. Seeing as she'd only been a child at the time, he'd had to help her put it together, but the memory of glue everywhere and spare, plastic chips being thrown around still made her smile. They'd even been so cheeky as to put glue in Riley's hair at the time.

Both Aaron _and_ Tess had been grounded for a week for _that_ little number.

"Wait 'ere, I'm gonna go and ge' some wax polish, then once we're done we can go 'n see that boyfriend o' yers."

In a sudden instant, she felt her stomach jump into her throat as she remembered the purpose she had for seeing Aaron; remembering what it was that she needed to tell him…

"Actually, Az let me get it. I need to call Optimus anyway and find out where to meet him. Be right back."

"Yep."  
>Dropping the sponge into the bucket, she ran a hand through her hair and made her way over to where the truck-stop stocked their free-to-use supplies. Of course, it was for truck drivers only; Aaron had been required to show them his license and job qualification before they'd been permitted access to the supplies. Dialling Lennox's number she waited for an answer.<p>

Across the lot, the black sedan, Tripwire, was following the indicator on his radar with interest and bewilderment_ :Lord Megatron…signal is…coming __from__ the human femme. Vehicle is negative for readings of Prime:_

_:__From__ the femme? That's impossible. A Prime's signature does not transfer…Not unless…Interesting:_ There was a crackling growl heard on Megatron's end of the Com-Link connection before he addressed his insignificant minion again. _:Hold for my order:_

_:Affirmative. All hail Megatron:_

With a can of polish in one hand and her phone in the other, Tessa made her way back to Aaron and proceeded to help him finish making the Mack shine like water. She had briefly spoken to Optimus about what the plan of attack was with regards to Aaron and the reveal, and Tess had resolved that she would take her brother to the base. She would fill him in on the way in the hopes of preparing him, but at least taking him to N.E.S.T would make their secret more comprehendible to him; make him see they weren't making it up.

After they'd waxed and dried of the Titan, Tess shot him a nervous smile and climbed up onto the side of the vehicle. "Az, I have somewhere that I want to take you. Somewhere really important."

He shot her a quizzical look as they climbed into the cabin and buckled up, the doors shutting solidly as he started the engine with a roar. "Okay, but ain't we goin' to meet up with Optimus? Is 'e not comin' anymore?"

Tessa shook her head quickly, hearing Aaron shift the gears as the truck began to roll to a slow start towards the exit of the truck-stop. "No, no, he's going to meet us there. It's just…there's some stuff I need to explain to you on the way. And I don't…I don't want you to freak out, okay? _Please_ don't freak out…"

"Go fer it, Tessie. You ain't gonna surprise me." Aaron scoffed, turning onto the highway slowly before chuckling and scruffing up her hair with his free hand. In the back of her mind, Tessa found herself thinking that she beg to differ. Guaranteed, Aaron will never have heard anything as crazy as what she was about to try and tell him.

Unbeknownst to them, there was a nondescript black car that also happened to roll out of the gas station immediately after they did; maintaining distance enough that it was inconspicuous. A chirp sounded from the internal workings of the car.

_:Signal confirmed, Lord Megatron. Energon signature is a match to Prime's; target is an association of the Autobots:_

_:No, Tripwire. Optimus' signature can not be given unwillingly, he has __passed on__ his signature to the femme. Without a doubt, she is Prime's mate; to think he would mark an __organic__!:_

Tripwire watched the truck ahead on the road, following at a necessary distance, waiting for his orders; for some sign of retreat or attack. If the femme was indeed the Prime's mate, he needed to know what Megatron would want him to do. _:Permission to engage, Lord Megatron?:_

There was a moment of silence passed as the leader of the treacherous Decepticons considered his plan. Even if there was a chance that the femme could lead them to the Autobots…he still could not make his move to destroy Prime…yet. Optimus had the Matrix of Leadership, he was the only one who could use it; and they would need it when their master plan came into motion. But if he could _eliminate_ Prime's mate…if he could deal a blow like that to his nemesis, even if purely out of spite…then it would mean he had a victory. A small, but darkly effective victory…

_:Permission granted. Engage:_

**Hawly sheet I know you guys will HATE me for this cliffhanger…but admit it; that's why you love me ;) Welcome back to the Primary Mechanisms train everyone, I've missed you guys all so, so much!**


	78. No Retreat No Surrender

**Author's Note is mostly at the end of this chapter for you to read AFTER you've read the chapter; don't want to give you guys any spoilers before you're read it ;D  
>All I can say, is I freaking LOVE this one. FINALLY getting some plot development.<br>Also, this was written while listening to this, just copy and paste the link minus the spaces :)**

**www . youtube . com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=q1Y7tY8NppM**

"Shit, yer playin' me off ain'tcha? I mean…_aliens_? Jeez, Tessie; y'all don' think I'm _gullible_ do ye?"

"I swear to God, Aaron; every word is true."

A deep, rumbling chuckle rolled up the trucker's chest as he shook his head in amusement, shifting the gears of the truck with evident ease. Tess had been trying to gently express the details of the situation regarding Optimus, N.E.S.T and the Autobots, but so far her brother had taken it as nothing but a well thought out and hilariously clever joke.

Not that she blamed him.

The whole idea of it was totally radical and unbelievable; hell she'd _fainted_ the first time she'd seen the Autobots. She just hoped that perhaps he would take it better than she had, and maybe a little better than the rest of the family.

"Look, Tessie…Wha'ever it is you an' Optimus gotta tell me, I ain't gonna get mad! You havin' a kid or somethin'? Is that it?"

A strangled noise emanated from her before she slapped her forehead harshly with her hand, a loud 'smack' sounding through the rumbling cabin, "Jesus Christ what _is_ it with people thinking I'm freaking _pregnant_? No! I'm not! I keep telling you, I'm not pulling your leg. You can even call Dad and ask him!" she sighed heavily and ran her hands through her hair, feeling the tension on the strands alleviate some of her stress from the situation. "I told them all at Christmas…but because you weren't there I told them not to tell you about it. I wanted you to find out in person…"  
>Aaron turned to her with a furrowed brow, glancing at the road every few seconds before returning his gaze to his driving. "You…Tessie yer worryin' me now. This's all a bit…farfetched don'tcha think? I mean…yer boyfriend don't <em>look<em> like an alien…"

"I told you, that's a Holoform. They use them to create the image of a driver, Optimus is actually the _truck_."

"…which turns into a giant alien robot from some mech-tech planet in a far'way galaxy, yep…?"

"Exactly!" she exclaimed, eyes lighting up a little at the possibility that he was grasping the reality of what she said.

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a sceptical look with a disbelieving smirk. "…Aaaaand tha's why you c'n see I don't believe ya, right?"

Deflated, Tess slumped back in the seat and thumped her head against the headrest with a frustrated sigh. "Yeah…I know…" she muttered defeatedly, "But just…reserve the scepticism until we're at the base, okay? You'll understand when you see."

He scoffed and ruffled her hair in an affectionate manner, but she couldn't help but feel like it was a patronizing action, even if it was unintentional, "Sure, kiddo. Whatever ye say."

Tess opened her mouth to retaliate again, but a loud resounding _bang_ came from outside the truck, making the vehicle jolt just a fraction in response to the collision.  
>"What the hell? Did something just hit us?" she asked worriedly, trying to look in the mirror. The edge of a simple black sedan met her vision and her eyes narrowed, "What the heck is this idiot <em>doing<em>? You're in a million tonne truck for crying out loud!"  
>Aaron was watching in the mirror as well, eyes narrowed in puzzlement; trying the ascertain what the much smaller vehicle was trying to pull. It wasn't a tailgater trying to overtake him, there was plenty of empty road right now; after all they were a fair way out from the city now. Maybe it had been an accident…<br>_BANG!_

Okay, definitely not an accident.

A sudden thought struck him, a situation that he'd had to deal with more than once on his travels. Bandit thieves. They were robbers and collectors who raided highway road trains and stole goods to sell on the black market or amongst dealers and thugs. His brow knitted into an angry, defensive scowl.

"Not on my fuckin' watch." He snarled angrily, causing Tess to look at him in confusion.

"Az? Wh-what's happening?"

Shifting gears, he then reached underneath the passenger side seat, pulling out his massive shotgun, his teeth bared angrily. Fucking freeloaders weren't getting _any_ of his cargo, not now; not ever. "Tessie, 'm gonna need ye t' take the wheel. I'm gon' deal with this fucker."  
>Her eyes widened in horror and she grabbed at his shirt. "What the <em>hell<em>, Aaron? Don't go fucking _shooting_ people! What if it was an accident, what if they didn't _mean_ to clip us?"

_BANG!_  
>This time, the collision was hard and it jolted both Aaron and Tess forward a little bit in their seats. This made the trucker growl angrily at their assailant backed up and revved the engine of the sedan, its horn blaring loudly at them. He turned to her with a serious expression. "<em>That<em> was no accident! I seen guys like this on th' road, Tessie! They're _thieves_, and they ain't getting' away with it from me! Now put yer foot on th' gas and take th' wheel, kiddo! Yer about t' see how a trucker protects 'is own!"

Doing as he told her, she shifted underneath him and pressed her foot to the accelerator, moving her foot to cover it entirely once he'd removed his own. He watched her hands take the wheel before he released it, but Tess noticed that the truck didn't jolt or sway from the change of hands _at all_.

Aaron was now in the passenger seat, winding down the window and baring his teeth over the rush of the wind. Resting the butt of the shotgun to his shoulder, he leaned out the window and took aim before firing a resounding shot toward the back of the truck. In the rear view mirror, Tess could see the sedan shift a little, clearly startled by the attack on it.

The windows were too darkly tinted to see any passengers or driver, but as another shot fired she noticed that Aaron was not aiming at the _occupants_, but the engine of the car. And damn if he wasn't a really good shot at it!

"Teach y'all t' fuckin' try t' steal from _me_!" Aaron roared over the wind whipping past the window. Tess screamed as another bang resounded through the cabin from the sedan trying to rear-end the truck. It didn't make sense…the car didn't seem to be suffering any extensive damage from trying to _take on_ a massive freighter, it wasn't right…  
>"Aaron!" she cried, "What are they trying to <em>steal<em>?"

"My freight!" he replied, firing off another shot. Tess looked out the back window through the truck's sleeping cabin and noticed that she had a clear view of the black car following them. That's when something clicked, and a strange feeling of dreadful suspicion curled into the pit of her stomach.

"We aren't carrying cargo…" she whispered to herself, horror suddenly slackening her features as she steered the truck around a bend in the desert road; she turned and yelled at her brother, "Az! We aren't _carrying any cargo_!"

She saw him lower his aim from the gun and turned his face towards her, shouting over the whipping, roaring wind. "Then what…What the hell do they _want _then?"

A sudden round of high pitched machine-gun shots resounded from outside the truck; the sound frightened her because it hadn't come from Aaron's gun. Whoever was following them, had opened fire. Darting her eyes to the rear-vision side mirror, she saw the car swerve into view just as the midday sun caught on the hood; on the silver badge at the front of it, an emblem that vaguely resembled that of the Autobots but more…sinister. That was when her eyes widened in fear and her heart leapt into her throat.

"Decepticon…" she whispered to herself in terror.

Reaching desperately into her pocket, she fumbled for her phone. "Aaron! Get back in the truck!" The sound of his shotgun going off again made her jump before she raised her voice to a frightened scream. They were in danger and she was not equipped to handle it. "Aaron get _back_ in the fucking _truck_!_ NOW_!"

Hearing the distress in his sister's voice, he obeyed; watching her terrified manner. "Tessie? What is it? Wha's goin' on?"

"Remember the story I told you about the _bad guy_ aliens?" she asked quickly, raising her dialled cell phone to her ear and cringing as she her the shots firing again; a few of them hitting the back of the cabin, "I think this is one of them."

"What th' fuck-?"

A click was heard on her phone line before a familiar voice answered the private line. "_This is Lennox._"  
>"Will! It's Tessa! Put Optimus on the phone <em>right now<em>! Please!" she cried, unable to hide the fear in her voice now that she was certain of what followed them. What could they possibly want with them?

"_Tess? Is everything oka-_"

"-Lennox please! I don't have time to explain, get him on the phone!"

A brief crackle was heard like an interference before she heard his voice, "_Tess? What's wrong? Has something happened to you?_"

She struggled to keep her voice level as she drove, but she knew that it would be useless; he could read her like a book. "Chief, I need you to meet us halfway! Something is following us, trying to run the truck off the road! I think it's a Decepticon! We're not going to be able to break Aaron into this the way we wanted-"

She cut off her words with a scream as the pursuer rammed the vehicle into the side edge of the truck and fired off another round.

"-Optimus, they're _attacking_ the truck!"

"_Tess!_" Optimus roared down the phone, fear lacing through his voice at the thought of her being in immediate danger. He couldn't bear to lose her; she was in danger, "_Stay on route to base! I'm coming for you! Stay moving; do __NOT__ let them stop you!_"

Her phone clicked off and she dropped it hastily onto the centre console, swallowing thickly as she turned to Aaron, "We need to keep moving, we can't stop."  
>The trucker was clearly worried now, his hands trembling in shock as he watched her, "Tessie y'all better fuckin' <em>explain<em> everythin' once this shit's over!"

"I will, Az." She breathed tensely, fingers tightening on the wheel with trembling fingers, "But first we have to survive this…"

0-0-0-0-0

It wouldn't be long until Optimus reached them; he _had_ to be close. She couldn't hold her own much longer; the sedan was faster _and_ more agile than Aaron's truck. Her back ached from the tense posture she had taken on to steer the mammoth beast, trying to avoid gunfire and keep them heading towards the base.  
>They had to be close…God, they had to be…<p>

"Tessie!" Aaron suddenly thundered, whipping his shotgun up to the window and shooting down at the black vehicle that was alongside them. He shot several rounds off, trying to distract it or destroy the engine or _something_, "We can't hold 'em off anymore! They're destroyin' the tyre alignment! FUCK!" he yelled into the window, taking aim again.

Tess screamed as the sedan beat ruthlessly against the side of the truck once more, feeling the steering wheel tremble beneath her fingers from the collision. Her sweaty hands were cramped and her shoulders were tight with fear, she couldn't help but release a gasping, choked sob as she realized just how _scared_ she was right now. Not just for herself, but for her brother who was nothing but an innocent bystander. Oh _God_ if Aaron died it would be all her fault.

"Optimus Prime," she whispered harshly to herself, "you get your ass here soon…"

Tess felt the truck give a rumbling tremble beneath her fingers, and she was unsure whether it was something to do with the wheel alignment, or the road beneath her, or her own trembling control on the steering. She screamed again as she heard another round of shots from the sedan's artillery, and Aaron gave a growling snarl as he fired off on more shot and forced his top half back into the cabin.

"Shit…" he hissed, bringing his hand up to his shoulder. Tessa felt her heart clench at the sight of blood staining his shirt and sliding slowly through his fingers.  
>"Hh my God! Aaron, you're hit! Oh God, what do we do?"<p>

"Keep _drivin'_!" he said sharply, gritting his teeth a little as he felt the wound stinging. He looked out the window with a fierce look, watching the car revving it's engine and honking violently at them again. "Y'all said we gotta keep _moving_. I'll be fine, Tessie. We can' let whoev'r this is pull us over."

Tears were burning down her cheeks now; her brother was injured and it was because of her. "But…Az! I-I…What if Optimus doesn't _get_ here in time? What if-"

"Tess LOOK OUT!" he screamed, and she watched in horror as the car veered away and began to hurl towards the under wheel arch of the front tyre with full force. There was no way that she could manoeuvre away from that, she didn't have the tactical skill; it was going to destroy the truck even if the sedan got destroyed in the process. Tessa's eyes widened in horror as she watched in slow motion as the car approached, but mere inches before it collided, the steering wheel twisted under her hands.

The Mack Titan veered away and fishtailed along the highway, clipping the car aggressively before taking of again. Aaron had gripped the armrest with his free hand and turned to Tess with a terrified expression. "How'n the _hell_'d you do that?"

"…I didn't…"

"Then what-?"

Her heart flickered in shock as the radio screeched violently to life and a voice, heavy and majestic, sounded through the speakers.  
>"Give me control."<p>

Aaron just about had a fit, his body tensing and twitching against the seat as his eyes widened in horror, glancing back toward the vehicle that was now trying to catch them up. "The fuck was _that_?"  
>Tessa's mouth felt dry, the radio had just spoken. There was no way that…. "What do you want from us!"<p>

"I can help you." The voice resounded, filling the cabin with what sounded like a battle-hardened and certain voice, "I will not allow the Decepticons to harm my human comrade."

"Wh-what will you do." She gasped.

"Tessie? What's-"

She cut Aaron of and asked again, "What will you _do_?"  
>"You are allies of a Prime. I will protect you." Hope swelled in Tessa's chest at the words. Could it be? This behemoth truck, was an <em>Autobot<em>? "There is no time, _please_! _Deign me control_." Tessa took a deep breath and closed her eyes, hoping and praying that this would be the right decision.

The she released the wheel.

She screamed and gripped the seat as she felt the truck immediately pick up speed and swerve violently to avoid another round of gunfire. Aaron gave a startled cry and braced his foot against the dashboard, gripping his wounded shoulder harshly.  
>"Fuckin' hell, Tessie! The fuck're ye doin'?"<p>

"Trust me Aaron, we're getting out of this. WHOA!"

The Mack suddenly swerved a complete 180 and slammed it's brakes on for a skidding stop. The door to the passenger side popped sharply open and the speakers crackled to life once more. "Aaron, you need to get out. Both of you, _hurry_. I cannot protect you like this with you inside."  
>Tessa immediately understood from previous conversations with Optimus, with all of the Autobots. They couldn't transform with people inside. It really was a Cybertronian. She turned to her brother and flung his arm over her shoulder gently, trying to be quick.<br>"Come on, we have to move. We need to get out; we need to move _now_."  
>"OW! Fuck! Wait hold it, how'd th' thing know m' <em>name<em>?" he exclaimed, cringing as he felt pain wrack through his arm, struggling to climb down the side of the cabin. The radio and the truck itself seemed to respond as the tried to make their way hastily out of the cabin.

"You are my comrade, human. I will not let them kill you."  
>As Aaron's feet hit the ground, he saw the black sedan approaching on the horizon. Confusion and disbelief were warring inside him as he shot the truck a sceptical look. "Well 'an you'd better 'urry up 'n tell me yer name before you stop that thing fr'm killin' us 'en."<p>

Tessa stretched a hand across Aaron's chest and pushed him back a little as a loud, hydraulic whirring and hissing sounded from the blue truck before it performed a rapid transformation; stretching to the full, towering height of a massively bulked, dangerous looking robot.  
>Before it could make any response to Aaron, the black sedan that was speeding towards them transformed and hurled itself at the pale blue robot in the form of a grotesquely humanoid form, all dark metal body readied and jagged carbon metal teeth bared. The sound of metal on metal was heard, and the blue robot performed a full 180 degree turn, taking the weight of the Decepticon over his shoulder and throwing him using its own momentum against it.<p>

The metal foe flew the length of at least 2 football fields before crashing into the hard earth with a resounding _crash_ that shook the ground. The robot that was once Aaron's faithful truck turned to face them, and Tess could see the emblem of the Autobots carved into the box set of his shoulders. Towering, broad and angular like a military tank, the towering behemoth looked at the with crystalline blue eyes and made only one brief semblance of introduction before turning to attack his foe once more.

"My name, is Ultra Magnus."

**Y'all have ****NO**** idea how long I have wanted to write that scene. This was always going to be the way Aaron found out about the Autobots, and it was always the plan for Ultra Magnus to have been his truck.  
>You'll find out details such as why Magnus never revealed his identity, and how he came into Aaron's possession. But for now, I thoroughly hope you have enjoyed this chapter. I apologize it the chase scene isn't the greatest, because I confess I'm not great at writing action scenes; but hey, I'm DAMN well going to try!<strong>

**Let me know what you've thought guys!  
>UlurNaga<strong>


	79. Hand Of Blood

**I AM ON A ROLL AND I AM ****BACK**** MY WONDERFUL READERS!**

**Not much to say on this chapter apart from that I have been waiting to introduce the idea of the relationship between Magnus and Aaron.**

**Just for the record, Magnus looks at Aaron as his responsibility as a comrade and friend. After all, he's watched over him for 3 years; he's bound to feel some platonic responsibility for the human who's antics have probably been a source of amusement :)**

**Enjoy guys!**

**Sorry for any mistakes!**

Ultra Magnus was unlike anything Tess had ever seen.

She'd witnessed the Autobots sparring many times, but to see one in battle; in heat-of-the-moment, fight-for-survival _battle_…it was incredible.

His massive, blocky frame, decorated with the blue, grey and white of the Mack's paintjob, gleamed in the sunlight as he dodged, collided and warred with the black and metal Decepticon. He was much larger, but the foe was more agile; managing to duck in several times and strike Magnus across the chassis with its wicked looking metal claws. Tess tightened her hold on Aaron, pressing her jumper into his wound firmly as they knelt on the ground; watching the battle unfold before them in shock.

The new Autobot was clearly built for battle, his movements and tactics, his sheer _power_ just emanated it. She'd never seen anything so magnificent in her life; the adrenaline of a battle was evident in his swings.  
>"That…" she whispered, her voice cracking from having sat silent for so long, "That is one awesome truck you've got, Aaron..."<p>

Her brother, who was still evidently in shock from disbelief, could do little more than hang his jaw like a slackened hick; voice little more than a choke. "My- tha's my truck…"

She wasn't sure how long this battle had gone on, or how far away Optimus and his team would be; but suddenly everything felt like it would be alright. They had adequate protection against their alien enemy now, Ultra Magnus was clearly more than capable of holding his own. Even so, Tessa still screamed with every firearm that was shot, every hit that their new ally took.

Then the Decepticon finally manoeuvred to try and set its sights on her.

Her heart plummeted as she watched it charge, a set of gleaming red fibre-optic eyes that were trained on her as it moved with terrifying speed. She froze in horror as she realized that it was going to hit her; she wouldn't be able to move in time and she wasn't leaving Aaron in the creature's path…  
>"For Cybertron!"<p>

A loud crunching sound was heard as Ultra Magnus managed to execute a full-bodied tackle to the enemy, clenching his fingers over one of its eyes and crushing the section of its face in his fist. The Decepticon, in a fit of pained rage, used Magnus' momentum and force to send him flying across the dirt a few hundred yards over. Then it turned to face the humans with a snarl.

"An organic with the mark of the Prime…" it rumbled dangerously, "…you will die."  
>The little mechanic's eyes widened as she saw the hand that had become a blade during the battle with Magnus, raised high over its head with a look of masochistic glee and Tessa screamed, squeezing her eyes shut as she clutched her brother.<p>

It couldn't end like this…

A resounding and violently _angry_ roar was heard before the sound of metal imbedded in metal rang through the air. Tessa shot her eyes open upon realizing that she had not been struck, and in astonished shock she looked up; seeing blearily through tears that were welling up in her eyes from terror at the situation. Her breath caught in her throat as she gasped out a word.

"Optimus-!"

One of his Energon blades was driven through the abdomen of the Decepticon, and the other hand was wrapped up under its jaw; holding it by the throat. His height advantage left the humanoid creature with its legs kicking and belting at him, trying to free itself. A deep, metallic growl erupted up Optimus' chest before he spoke.

"Do not touch her." He rumbled darkly; the tone in his voice almost _scared_ her with its intensity.

The Decepticon in his grasp gave a feral snarl before trying to swipe at him, the blow clearly doing nothing against the Autobot leader. "All hail Megatron!"

Tessa screamed as she heard Optimus' hand tighten and she saw sparks flying from the Decepticon's body as he crushed its throat in his hands. This was the side of him that she'd never been exposed to, the side of him that had to be a warrior; to be able to take a life in battle. She would be lying if she said it didn't frighten her a little, but she knew that he was still her Optimus; still the same gentle soul that she loved.

"The fuck _is_ all this shit, Tessie?" Aaron yelled, pulling his good arm around his little sister and trying to pull her protectively behind him as he looked up at Optimus' bipedal form. Tessa finally managed to find all of her voice and clutched his sleeve imploringly.

"It-It's alright Aaron, they aren't going to hurt us. It's Optimus; this is what Optimus really looks like…"

"He's a…?"

"Yes."

The Prime in question gave the Decepticon in his grasp a disgusted look before throwing it to the side, the dead creature limp like a pile of scrap metal. "Ratchet, destroy the evidence." He said softly, before turning toward the new Autobot who was approaching them. He had several dents and scratches, but the massive robot was otherwise unscathed, "Magnus…how? You escaped Cybertron?"

Ultra Magnus lowered his head in an obvious gesture of respect, fist clasped over where his Spark probably resided before he spoke, "I will explain to you, Optimus. But for now we must get the human charges to safety, mine as well as yours."

With a relieved nod, Optimus turned on his heel in her direction and transforming into the Peterbilt at a rather alarming speed. Suddenly Tessa realized why.

The Holoform exited the cabin of the vehicle and scooped her almost viciously into his embrace, engulfing her with his arms and cradling her tightly against his chest. His face was buried into her hair and she felt the air being squeezed out of her body from the compression as he held her.

"How did they _find_ you? Are you hurt?" he asked desperately, planting a kiss against her temple before holding her again, infinitely relieved when he felt her arms glide up his Holoform's back to return his grip.

"No," she murmured against him, a sense of distress elevating her voice pitch, "They said…something about me having your mark…Optimus I think they sensed your Energon signature…but that – that's not important right now! Aaron, they – it hit him in the shoulder. He got hurt."

Optimus separated from her and cradled her face in his hands for a second, viewing her with an expression of so much _relief_ that it made her chest ache. He planted a kiss on her forehead and let her go. "We will see to his wounds, Tess. He will be fine once we-"

_SMACK!_

Optimus' Holoform was sent reeling back as Tessa's gaze snapped sideways to see Aaron; shoulders squared and a fist clenched on his right hand. His knuckles and fingers were covered with his own blood from the wound on his left shoulder and the furious expression on his face made him look so menacingly dangerous.

"Ya sonnuva a _bitch_!" he thundered at Optimus, with a shaking fist, "Y'all 've been keepin' shit like _this_ from me? Yer a fuckin' _alien_?"

"Aaron, STOP!" Tess cried, moving forward to try and restrain him, but he gently shoved her aside and seized the Holoform by the collar of the shirt lifted him from the ground a little. Optimus made no movement to retaliate, because he understood perfectly that Aaron was upset. The trucker had always had a rough-and-tumble streak, he was aware of that. Of _course_ anger was going to be the easiest way for the poor human to deal with the shock and stress of the situation. Even so, the sting in his Holoform's cheek smarted a bit.

"Please, Aaron. If you give me the opportunity to explain-"

"-_Explain_? Shit, man! Y'all just _saw_ that fuckin' thing didn'tcha? That thing was after _her_! She's in danger 'cause o' y'all!"  
>Tess noticed that Optimus' eyes narrowed a little at the comment, before a sigh escaped him; a hurt expression written on his face. "I know…I have reminded myself of that fact many time, Aaron. Not a day goes by where I do not <em>remind<em> myself of it!"

Clenching his fist tightly on the front of the Holoform's jacket, the trucker lifted the Autobot commander and thumped him up against the Peterbilt. Aaron's endless blue eyes bore into Optimus' with a wary scowl, fingers digging tightly into the fabric in his grasp.

Tess held her breath as her brother stared her lover down, all the secrets and illusions finally removed. He was seeing Optimus as what he really was, and about what they had hidden from him. His anger was understandable, but she still feared the outcome of his decision.

Finally, he softened his gaze before his head lowered and relaxed his fist.

"…Okay…" Aaron murmured, taking a deep breath to steady himself as he stepped back, maintaining eye contact with the Prime once more, "…This 's…pretty full on, an' I'm gonna need som' _explainations_, y'hear?"

Optimus nodded an affirmative. "I understand that this is difficult. It was not easy for the rest of your family eithe-"

"-That's another thing!" Aaron said suddenly, whirling around and wincing at the movement in his shoulder and clutching it before addressing Tess, "Ye told _everyone_ 'cept me? E'rybody?"

She gave a heavy sigh and wrapped her arms around herself nervously, "I didn't want to tell you over the phone…I mean, come on! You would never have believed me anyway! I didn't want to have you driving around thinking I was having an episodic crazy-attack!" she took a step forward to try and check his wound, but instead Aaron took a step back and rounded on Ultra Magnus who was standing like a sentient statue watching the two humans below him. Tess noticed Ratchet and Arcee standing on the sidelines, much taller than the form of the Peterbilt that Optimus' Holoform was standing beside.

"That reminds me…" Aaron said irritably, looking up at the behemoth form of Ultra Magnus, "I b'en drivin' you around fer 3 _goddamn_ years an' ye didn't once think t' tell me my truck was 'n _alien_?" his finger was pointed up at the Autobot as he thundered at him, clearly unintimidated by the massive difference in height.

Ultra Magnus stood rigid and disciplined, like that of a soldier being addressed by a commanding officer. His arms at his sides, metal jaw straight and compliant; all the certainty in the world. "As long as you were unaware of me, you were safe from being discovered. My energy signature was guarded, and I could not be detected; so as long as you didn't know, you were free from harm."

Aaron ran a hand through his light, copper-brown hair, his blue eyes flaming uncertainly. "Why me? What in Hell made y'all have any need fer _me_ in the firs' place?"

Ultra Magnus lowered onto his haunches, making Aaron back up a little bit in defence. However the Autobot shook his head and pointed at the dark red blood on the front of his shirt; the same blood that was drying on his right hand. "I will explain everything to you, _after_ you have been treated." He turned and looked at the Peterbilt parked beside Tess and addressed him directly, "Prime, I request permission to come back with your cohort; the human is my charge and I wish to protect him."

"Granted, old friend." Optimus said from the Holoform, turning to Aaron and gesturing to the Peterbilt, "We need to get you to base, we can talk on the way…" The trucker looked over at Tess, who was fixing him with an imploring look as she nodded; concerned for the wound she'd seen him take. She would never forget that moment that the shot had hit him.

"A'right. I'll hold ya t' that, Optimus."

0-0-0-0-0

"3 years…I still can' believe y'all was under my hood fer _3 years_! Why…?" Aaron said sternly, glancing at Tess who was beside him with her hand gently on his good arm.

Ultra Magnus approached the walk-way railing and placed a hand on it firmly, looking him in the eye. His expression, though difficult for Aaron to read, was one of mutual respect; that of a comrade. After all he had secretly guarded this human for three years, even if only one of them had been aware of the other he still respected this human.

"I came here following the signals of rogue Decepticons after Cybertron was lost-"

"-That's their planet thing y'all told me 'bout ain't it, Tessie?"  
>"Yeah. It's where they're from, but apparently it's destroyed now…" she explained, "Go on, Magnus…"<p>

The soldier nodded and resumed his explanation, "When I arrived here, I was unaware of other Autobot survivors from our planet's destruction. One hopes for the best, but must plan for the worst. I made decisions on the basis that there was no one else here to protect against Decepticons. I was one of Prime's soldiers back on Cybertron, it was my role to carry on the good he did; freedom is the right of all sentient beings. That has always been his belief; so I had to protect humans."

Aaron grumbled and ran a hand through his hair, still in the process of digesting and approving of the whole situation, "That still don' explain what ya had _me_ aroun' for, man!"

Magnus turned to Prime, a look of clear respect and brotherly admiration shining through in his optics; something Tess was only able to pick up from the countless hours she spent around the Autobots.

"Humans aren't used to seeing vehicles driving themselves. I required a way to travel your planet without drawing attention. That was when I found you; you were seeking a transport vessel for your occupation. I needed a cover and you needed a vehicle. Perhaps it was decided by Primus that we would be useful to one another. I intended only to remain in your presence until I discovered Decepticons and what they were here for…but over the time it took, your company became familiar. I saw you…as my comrade."

Now the trucker looked confused, "So wait…if y'all were meant t' be huntin' them Deceptic things…how'd ye manage t' do that when I'm yer _driver_? Ya never turned into no giant robot b'fore!"

Magnus shook his head, "Whenever I discovered Decepticon interference…I feign what you would call '_engine trouble_' until you would be forced to seek aid for it."

Aaron gave a horrified scoff and thumped the railing with a laugh; a sound that made Tess feel a slight amount of relief when she heard it. She could sense the tension slipping away as Aaron started to trust them again.

"Tha' explains a lot…All 'at _damned_ splutterin' and chokin' in th' engine was on _purpose_? Damn, why'd ya bother goin' to trouble like that?" he asked. Tessa noticed how he leaned forward on the railing a little bit, the tension subtly starting to ease from his shoulders a little bit. Magnus raised his hand while he spoke in a gesture of cumbersome animation.

"When the repair centres were closed for the night, I would escape and track down the Decepticon I discovered and destroy it. Then I would return before morning, and they would find nothing wrong with my alternate mode."

Tessa laughed and rubbed her forehead in amusement, "Az, I think you got the wool pulled over your eyes by your truck."

He scoffed in response, "Yeah, no kiddin'…" he turned to view Optimus and Magnus, who were both in their bipedal forms for the discussion at present, "So I guess…now tha' ye found yer friends an' all…that I'm gonna have ta fork out 20 grand fer a new truck, huh?"

There was a long silence after his words, and Tessa suddenly felt her heart ache for her brother. That truck had been his pride and joy; he'd spent so long fixing it up, making it perfect and customizing it to perfection. It would have been like someone taking her Valiant away. She noticed the way Magnus paused in his actions, completely stationary as he thought to himself; and then he turned to Optimus.  
>"Commander Prime," he said firmly, professionally, "with your permission, I would become a mobile part of your operation. If you will allow it, I can track down Decepticons throughout the country as I have been; but under your command."<br>Optimus seemed surprised by his old friend's request, but he suddenly understood the fondness that the new Autobot had for the trucker. After all, he had protected him for the last three years without the human even being aware of it; the relationship was evidently something similar to the brotherhood between Ironhide and Colonel Lennox.

Travelling comrades.

"I would grant you that, Ultra Magnus. Having leads in mobile regions will be vital; especially with use of your Com-Link, old friend. And if you can continue-"

"-Whoa, whoa! Now hol' up there! I don' get no say in this'r what? This Magnus guy is _my_ truck, after all!"

"Wait!" Tess interrupted, placing her hand on the railing and the other on Aaron's shoulder; casting a sorry glance at the bandaged wound in his shoulder. The stubborn old trucker had refused to rest once it had been seen to; he'd been more concerned with getting answers to the questions he'd had. "What if…Optimus, what if N.E.S.T took Aaron on…as Magnus' partner? I mean…Aaron can't go back to work without a truck, and Magnus can't go back to doing normal deliveries with Az…"

A heavy chuckle rumbled up Optimus' chassis as he regarded what she had said, reaching forward to place a massive finger on her head; still indescribably relieved that she was safe and out of harm's way.

"It would seem you have a habit of finding staff for the military, my Tessa…"

A pink dusted her cheeks at his words before she laughed embarrassedly and shook her head, "Looks that way," she smiled, "but what do you think?"

He gave a perturbed, rumbling 'hm' before he looked at the two humans standing before him, "I will speak with Lennox regarding it, and then I will get Ratchet to look into how in the name of _Primus_ they tracked my signature to you…" the Autobot leader lowered to her and nuzzled innocently to her in a protective manner before turning to Aaron; the trucker shifted, clearly a little uncomfortable with the extra-terrestrial show of affection. "You should get some rest for your wounds, Aaron. It's been a very trying day for you, I'm sure."

Running a hand through his light, copper-brown hair, Tessa's brother gave a heavy sigh and looked at Ultra Magnus before shaking his head with a disbelieving chuckle.

"Y'all can say _that_ again..."


	80. Moments In Oblivion

**So this chapter was a lot of fun to write, just saying.  
>I wanted to demonstrate a little bit of the relationship between Aaron and Ultra Magnus, seeing as Magnus has been secretly acting as a 'guardian' for the trucker since he purchased our beloved Mack Titan ;)<br>I would like to make it clear for anyone who might read into it too much, Aaron and Ultra Magnus will not become any sort of Yaoi pairing, their relationship is one of platonic brotherhood/comrades. Just to let everyone know; because I know sometimes these sorts of relationships can be misinterpreted.**

**I REALLY hope that I'm doing okay with Magnus' character, because in all honesty there's not a lot of information on him for me to get a good grip of his personality.  
>From what I've been able to gather, he's a noble soldier who is fully willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, and is totally loyal to Prime.<br>I apologise in advance for any mistakes; was 1:00 in the morning when I finished this, and I was **_**incredibly**_** tired. I was going to post this as soon as I finished it, but for some reason Fanfiction wasn't letting me sign in…Stupid site.  
>Anyway, enjoy :)<strong>

"I have a conclusion," Ratchet said calmly, "as to how the Decepticons detected your scent on Tess."

Shifting from her cross-legged position on the medical berth to look up at the much taller Hummer-bot, she cocked her head to one side with a perturbed expression, "I'm all ears, doc."

Nodding to himself, Ratchet projected a couple of holographic screens in front of him and appeared to furrow the metal of his brow as he read over his notes. The notes themselves meant nothing to Tessa, because she could not have read the Cybertronian even if she'd tried to. "It has to do with the signature scenting that the two of you participated in, they detected it on you-"

"-Ratchet." Optimus cut in suddenly, raising a hand as if to stop his medical officer. His tone was one of absurdity, as though what Ratchet suggested was impossible, "My Energon signal is guarded. You know that; there's no way that guarded Energon can be detected by foes."

Flipping his holograph screens so that the Prime could read them, Ratchet continued his theorized analysis in a professional and completely logical tone.

"Yes, but _you_ were the one guarding the Energon. Think about it, Optimus; the Energon signature you gave to Tessa _was_ in fact guarded. But as a human, she is physically incapable of cloaking a signal like ours, after your initial guarding wore off; it was your scent. Pure and undiluted."  
>Tess noticed the way her Cybertronian lover's metal hand clenched into a crushing fist at his side, the appendage shaking with something she couldn't determine.<p>

"So you're saying…?" he looked at Tessa before turning back to the yellow medic, "that they-?"

"-could track you via her. Yes."

She felt her heart plummet into the pits of Hell at the realization, and she jumped up from the berth; drawing the attention of both bots. "Then that means you guys are in _danger_ because of me! I need to go somewhere really far away, maybe that will throw them off your tracks-"

"-_No_!" Optimus barked, startling her enough to make her jump, and he immediately regretted it. His tone, although still strained, softened considerably as he elaborated on his sudden outburst, "Tessa if they were tracking your scent; then they would follow _you_."

She looked up at him with a furrowed brow, her head cocked to the side as if not comprehending. In her eyes it was simple. "That's the general idea, Chief." She said simply.

"With my scent on you, Tessa; they would _kill_ you."

"Yeah, but they wouldn't find you, Optimus; and that's what matters. _You_ guys are the only ones capable of stopping this war. If there's a way that I can keep them away from the Autobots, from _you_, then I'm willing to be expendable."  
>Crystalline blue optics whirred violently as they narrowed at her and Optimus lowered himself down onto one knee to look eye-to-eye with her; his voice sounding angry and <em>frightened<em> at what she was suggesting.

"I would never _hand_ you to them like that, Tessa. Do not even _suggest_ it."

"Optimus, I could help you this way-"  
>"<em>– I WILL NOT SACRIFICE YOU TO THEM!<em>" he thundered at her, frustratedly slamming his fist down into the concrete ground and causing a fractured crack in the cement. She stood there motionless for a second, her breath caught in her throat from the shock of his outburst. However the situation was diffused as Ratchet made a noise that was comparable to a human clearing their throat.  
>"If I can cut in before you two start your little love-spat…? Tess, there will be no need for you to go anywhere as a decoy; not that we would even consider it in the first place. Signals can only be detected when <em>in proximity<em> to them; so I would advise you stay on base until we can figure something out. Maybe we can try to remove the scent-"

"-No." Tess cut in, "Ratchet, I don't want to get rid of it…not if I don't have to."

Ratchet nodded, clearly mulling something over, "Alright…then we're going to have to come up with a way to mask it instead. Tess, right now you _cannot_ leave the base. You are safe here, but as soon as you step out of N.E.S.T's guarded border, you are at risk of being detected. You have to stay under our radar."

With a worried expression, she looked up at the two robots, "But, what about all my stuff? Clothes, toiletries, my _equipment_? My tool kit is in the trunk of my car."

Optimus scooped her up in one hand, earning a startled gasp from the female as he lifted her to his face and stood at his full height. She was more than used to the consecutive height changes now, and her stomach only fluttered a little when she was lifted by any of the Autobots.

"We will assign a soldier to collect your things, Tessa; you can make a list of the things you need and we will see that it's taken care of." He gave a heavy exhale, the decompression brushing her hair, "But Tessa, you must promise me that you will not leave our protection."

Uncomfortable with the fact that she was creating so much _drama_ with her human inability to protect herself, she looked down at the palm of his hand and muttered, "Okay…"

A gentle whirring was heard as he raised a hand to her, gently tilting her head upwards to view him; careful with her as though handling a sparrow made of porcelain. His expression was serious, the metal of his brow furrowed over his optics to try and convey his feeling.

"Tess, I mean it. Today I felt more fear than I'd experienced in all of my time as Prime…I was afraid I would _lose_ you." He didn't miss the way her cheeks flushed and her eyes became glassy with upset tears that threatened to well over, "_Promise_ me that you will stay."

She lifted both her hands and pressed them firmly to his thumb, keeping her eyes fixed on his optics with a serious expression, "Don't worry, Chief. I won't go anywhere until it's safe, I promise."

"I'll send for someone to arrange pick-up for your things and have them brought here; I already spoke to Lennox about arranging a room for you in the barracks." Ratchet said, eliminating the Cybertronian holoscreens and focusing up at the little female in his leader's grasp.

"Would Aaron have a scent on him? From being around Ultra Magnus? Just that…Aaron knows my things, and he has a key to my house; I trust him."

"Signature transfer is only an occurrence in mates, Tess." Optimus explained gently, "Your brother has no transfer; Ultra Magnus is nothing but a comrade to him. It would be safe for Aaron to collect your things, particularly if Magnus went as a guardian."

With a satisfied nod, Tess looked up at the Autobot leader and placed a hand tenderly against his palm where she sat. "So, how do you know Ultra Magnus, anyway?"

"He was one of the finest soldiers on Cybertron," Prime explained, "and the one of the closest things I have had to a brother; few have worn such a title. He has the qualities of a great leader; but he does not wish for leadership. In his mind, he is a soldier and nothing more. I was saddened to think that he was lost to the war…"

"And yet here he is, being dragged back to us by your own _brother_." Ratchet chuckled, shaking his head, "You certainly have a penchant for tying yourself to an alien race, Tess."

In response she shrugged and gave a laugh, "Yeah well…I always did have a weird pull to vehicles. I guess you guys just fit the bill, huh?"

Optimus chuckled deeply, his voice sounding much more relaxed now that his Tessa was safe in his grasp, unable to be harmed by the foe he had been fighting for centuries. He had not been lying when he said he'd been afraid for her, he had not felt such a gripping fear in _centuries_. Even the moment when Sam had been in Decepticon clutches hadn't affected him as much as today; because Tessa was the one who held his Spark, the being that he loved beyond all others.

Turning to his medical officer, he nodded an affirmative. "Inform Magnus, he will accompany Tessa's brother to her home to retrieve the things she needs."  
>Ratchet gave a nod of his own in response, "Of course, Optimus."<p>

0-0-0-0-0

"Are you alright, Aaron? You seem…unusually silent compared to usual." Came the rumble from the speakers, a clear and powerful voice.

The trucker in question shrugged and shifted a little bit, rubbing the back of his neck before returning his hand to the steering wheel. "Well…I'll be honest with ya, 'm still kinda _weirded out_ tha' m' damn _truck_ knows me personality quirks. Havya _always_ watched an' listened t' me like that?"

The radio was silent for a few moments as they drove, the sun having just slipped beyond the horizon and making the sky a dark blue-purple in the twilight. Then Ultra Magnus replied rather simply, "Of course."

"…How come?"

"I do it because you are my human, Aaron; you became my brother in arms. It has always been my duty to make sure that you are well and safe in my charge."

The trucker went to change gears, and was taken by surprise when they shifted on their own, the vehicle rising in power after the stick had shifted. Aaron pulled a visibly irritated face and clipped the dashboard with the back of his hand.

"Whoa, whoa!" he snapped, "Don'tcha go backseat drivin' on me! I'm still the one drivin' Mack!"

"-Magnus."

"Ay?"

"My name is Magnus, my friend. While I may have taken on the appearance of the 'Mack' truck, my _name_ is still Ultra Magnus."

Aaron cleared his throat, a little put off at being corrected by his vehicle. The whole situation was still bizarre and surreal to him, but he had reasoned with himself that logically; if his truck had wanted to harm him then there had been plenty of opportunity to do so over the last three years. "But…I b'n callin' ya 'Mack' fer _years_!"

"I was not really in any position to correct you."

The tone of voice that came from his surround sound stereo was that of one mocking an old friend. Magnus was clearly making a jibe at him, demonstrating that he had indeed been aware all those years…Aaron suddenly felt a sense of awkwardness, because that meant that the poor 'Cybertronian' had been subjected to his heavy metal music and God-awful swearing.

"Well _damn_ if that ain't gon' be a hard habit t' break…" he muttered, twitching his fingers on the steering wheel, "What about…_Mag_? Sorta sounds th' same, but's more like yer name."

"My…own title?" the Autobot sounded both honoured and intrigued, "I would certainly not object."

Scoffing, Aaron shook his head and focused on the road ahead of him, watching for the highway turnoff. Not that he really needed to pay much attention to his driving any more, considering he was now aware of his truck's unique ability to drive itself. The train of thought got him wondering about the story of how Ultra Magnus would 'feign engine trouble' when he needed to be put into a mechanic garage to track down Decepticons.

"Y'know…if we're gon' be workin' for Optimus an' yer N.E.S.T friends…I'm gonna need t' know exactly 'ow this's gonna work. I mean…how'd ya ever manage t' take out somethin' like what we saw t'day without me knowin' _at all_?"

"Well it's quite simple, Aaron." Ultra Magnus replied, subtly straightening up the human's course to make him more central on the road; something he'd been doing long before Aaron had known about his presence. The human had a tendency to veer to the right a little, and for a highly regimented soldier like Magnus, it was a pet-peeve. "My systems are attuned to locating Energon signatures of all levels, as a soldier I am much more precise at this than the others. Whenever I came across a signal, my first responsibility was to eliminate any threat to you, so I would sabotage the engine. Although I will admit, your competence in engine repair did make that difficult; because I would have to try and create problems that you could not fix yourself."

Aaron choked and suddenly gave a loud, highly amused laugh, "Well, tough guy; tha's what happens when yer sister's always raggin' about tinkerin' an' how t' fix things."

A smirk resounded through the speakers and out of competitive cheek; Magnus shifted the gear stick out from under Aaron's hand. The trucker suddenly realized that this was going to become something of a competition between them; two headstrong males both driving the same truck. Life on the road was _certainly_ going to become quite interesting…

"When I managed to get you to either stop for the night, or seek the help of a mechanical garage; I would wait for dark and disable whatever barricading security was present and hunt down the Decepticon. Despite my roots as a soldier, Aaron; I will admit that it has become _pleasant_ to have a friend to return to. I have witnessed phone conversations between yourself and your family, even the way you manage to do business with employers. And I have seen you fight off thieves as well as any Autobot could."

Another scoff sounded from the trucker, rubbing his forehead with his free hand and chuckling, "Ya mean them highway robber's an' shit? Would ya've even _let_ 'em steal our cargo anyway?"

"Of course not, but I would not have stepped in unless I believed that you couldn't handle it. There has only been a handful of times that I've been required to do so."  
>"What? Stepped in? When'd ya have t' <em>step in<em> on my 'count?" Aaron spat, sounding a little offended. He could not for one moment in his life, recall ever having had his truck have to come to his rescue; not once! He would have _noticed_ a giant transforming robot, for Pete's sake!

"When you've fallen asleep at the wheel." Magnus said heavily.

Aaron was stunned by the bluntness of the statement, a shocked look crossing his features as his hands tightened on the steering wheel, "I…fell 'sleep…?"

"On a few rare occasions, yes. As soon as I felt your grip slackening on the steering, I would take control and veer you to the side of the road. Rest assured, my friend, I never _drove_ you anywhere without your knowledge, I just stopped you from forfeiting your life."  
>The trucker thumped the dashboard, furious with himself and the fact that he'd been so <em>newbie-stupid<em>, driving like some novice of their learner's plates. The middle Jackson sibling had been driving trucks since he was old enough to drive _at all_, and yet he'd made such a careless and _dumbass_ mistake as to drive tired; the one rule a trucker was grilled to never, EVER break.

"Fuckin' forfeitin'? The _hell_ I was! I be'n drivin trucks since b'fore _y'all_ got on this planet, an' now yer tellin' me I w's _suicidal_ 'r something'?"

"Aaron, that is NOT what I was implying!" Magnus grumbled over the surround sound, his magnanimous voice silencing the protesting human in an instant. It was easy to hear the defensive comradery in his tone, not that of someone trying to offend; but merely speaking a truth, "I was a witness to the pressure of your deliveries, and to the deadlines we were forced to meet. I did my best to ensure you got there safely."

A long silence stretched between them as the roads began to change into suburban streets; the outdoor streetlights lighting their way as Aaron drove to Tessa's house. He was thinking on his actions, about the whole situation and how to cope with it. N.E.S.T had informed him that they had a job lined up for him, running interference with Ultra Magnus as a mobile unit in their military.

He would have been lying if he said it wasn't intriguing, but in a way he was still trying to grasp the concept of aliens, and the fact that his faithful old truck was one.

And that his sister was _dating_ one.

The job that N.E.S.T was offering him seemed pretty cushy, to drive around the country with Magnus locating Decepticon signals and having the Autobot take them out. Apparently there would also be a large possibility of them being required to isolate body parts of these enemies and ship them to bases and checkpoints so that they could be studied and tested. Aaron was no science-whiz, but he assumed this was to advance technology and gain intel in this disturbing alien enemy.

And if the rest of them were _anything_ like the alien beast he'd seen that day, they'd need all the intel they could get.

Not to mention that with this new position, he would probably have to undergo some sort of military training, at least in the basics of some variety of combat; after all they couldn't very well leave him defenceless and unknowledgeable.

He would be dead-weight otherwise.

"Look, Mag…I…listen, 'm just a little taken aback by all 'is crap. I mean…yesterday, you was jus' my _truck_. An' today ye saved me an' m' sister's lives; 'en I find out yer be'n keepin' me from drivin' off th' road at night…"

A heavy sigh sounded from the radio and Aaron could have sworn he felt a gust of air from the vents simultaneously with the sound before Magnus spoke again, "I understand your hesitance, Aaron. You are not a soldier as I am; this war will be new to you. But you have my word, I will not allow harm to my friend. Even if you haven't been aware of my presence, we have been through much together; and I will protect that."

Scratching the back of his neck with an embarrassed scoff, he punched the seat; the only sort of gestures he was comfortable with. "Aw shit, don't ya get all bromance on me, truck."

Magnus, who was more than familiar with Aaron's rough-and-tumble attitude, knew that this was the only way the trucker knew how to express approval, humour and acceptance. Even if cautiously, he was still demonstrating his willingness to trust the Mack Titan; to place his life in the Autobot's hands. Instead, he decided to allow the loud-mouthed trucker his comfort zone and ventured to more familiar topics for his friend.

"How many belongings of your sister's do you need to collect when we arrive?" he asked.

Aaron gave an obviously teasing groan, pretending to be bothered by the task his sister had asked of him. "Knowin' Tessie? Prob'ly the whole damn household!"

"Well, then we'd best hurry. We cannot keep the mate of a Prime waiting."

The two shared a brief chuckle between them, both of them relieved to feel just a little bit of the tense cautiousness lifting away. It would probably only be a matter of time before they could start rebuilding the friendship between the two of them. The unique relationship the existed only for those that knew the experience of the open road and the freedom of the long haul drives through interstate territories.

The bond between a trucker, and their vehicle.


	81. Tip The Scales

**Heya everyone!  
>I know, it's been a long wait in between updates! Sorry! It's not because I don't love you guys, you know that! Hahaha.<strong>

**It's just been tricky trying to find the time to write lately. We've had a lot of family contention going on lately, my sister and my mother have been butting heads these days (**_**imagine having two dragons in one cage…that's sort of the same situation haha**_**)  
>Hopefully things will work themselves out.<br>Anyhow, I apologize in advance for any spelling/grammar errors; I am ****VERY**** tired right now and I'm going to bed. I just wanted to get this one out so everyone can have something to read finally hahaha.**

It had been just over a week and a half since the initial attack on Tessa. Aaron had taken up a temporary residence in the soldier's barracks, and would remain at N.E.S.T until they'd had time to provide him with a thorough run-through of basic military training.  
>He would be taught basic tactical communications such as lingo and abbreviations, defensive on-the-job driving which included how to exit an Autobot's alt mode quickly so that they could battle without harming the human, and he was to be given a crash course in firearms training.<p>

As a self-proclaimed redneck with his own ideas on guns, Aaron was irrationally pissed off at having to be 'trained' in how to handle a firearm. His first day of training had earned him an almost immediate reputation due to the temper that he showed to his bullseye; taking out all his pent up frustration on the wooden targets of the range. The trucker was also informed that he would be trained in technological coms and signal analyses so as to be able to keep an eye out for any Energon signal interference.

After an initial reluctance to get too 'close' to the Autobots out of concern for what they were, the middle Jackson sibling had eventually discovered that the strange alien beings had an almost magnetic 'pull' to the people around them. It was impossible to not want to know them.

At first, he'd stayed mostly alongside Ultra Magnus; given that the Autobot had once been (_and for all aspects, still was_) his faithful road train, he trusted the soldier a little more than the others. He'd put it down to a natural wariness of the weird and outrageous, and these robotic creations were _certainly_ worthy of both those titles.

However it hadn't taken long for him to run into Ironhide, the _real_ Ironhide.

In a faster timespan than he'd comprehended, Aaron had habitually started to bait the weapons specialist and it wasn't very long at all before they were competing and arguing like they had before the military secret was 'out'.

And thus began a very annoying, but amusing headache for Tessa.

It was like being part of two families; having one brother from each, and she was stuck in the middle. Two Aarons, or two Ironhides; they were both as annoying as each other and it had turned into a running joke that she should have never introduced them. She didn't really mean it though; she couldn't trade either of them for anything in the world.

In the matter of Tessa's 'leaked signature' Ratchet appeared to be having a sight of trouble. He'd tried a great number of methods to try and blend, mask and eradicate the Energon identification from their little mechanic but none of them seemed to have any effect at all. As it was, she had been forbidden to leave the base at all, because if a Decepticon happened to cross her trail (_with or without an Autobot guarding her_) then they would track her back to N.E.S.T and jeopardize all of their lives.

She would not be responsible for the death of her friends, nor for the soldiers that aided them.

Optimus had also been somewhat stand-offish of late; not through any desire to be away from Tess, but because he wanted to have the issue of his genetic signature solved before he would risk adding to it.

He wanted her safety, more than anything else.

But his iron will was no match for Tessa's seemingly effortless ability to wrap the leader around her little finger. Several times already, he'd given in to her and allowed her to spend the night in the cabin of the Peterbilt rather than the tiny barrack room that they'd set up for her. She understood his reasons for being slightly distant; he'd openly explained them to her so as to help her understand. But that didn't mean that he didn't crave her company, and vice versa.

Resolving that it was probably best, she had agreed to keep their physical contact to a minimum.

Although, she still made an incredibly _amusing_ show of holding conversations with him from across the hangar with a megaphone, or cupping her hands around her mouth. And more often than not these conversations would be a great source of amusement for the soldiers who were present at the right time, because she had a habit of teasing him occasionally; once she'd even stated how cute his armour looked that day.

But currently, she was seated on Ironhide's shoulders in the Autobots' hangar being babysat by them while Ratchet and Optimus spent another day collaborating on how they could possibly fix the problem of the signature. Aaron had taken it upon himself to provide some entertainment; having splashed out his first 'training cheque' to purchase an Xbox, which he had taken great delight to hook up to the Autobot sized television in their hangar. It was like playing video games on an entire theatre screen; needless to say the childish trucker was excessively happy with that.

"Come _on_ ye fat sack o' metal _scrap_!" the auburn haired man growled up at Sideswipe from his seat on Ultra Magnus' hood; his flannel shirt tied around his waist leaving his chest bare. His bullet wound was dressed and clean, but they had advised him to let it 'breathe' as much as he could, "We're losin' this one!"

"Yo ain't gon' beat th' _twins_!" Mudflap scoffed, "Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah, we's like ninja!"

Aaron snorted and pointed up at his two alien adversaries, "I ain't _never_ lost at zombies, an' I _ain't_ gonna start now!" Hammering at the buttons on his controller, he watched Sideswipe's player moving and firing. Seeing as the Autobots were FAR too big to hold the controllers, they'd opted to simply hack the frequency and play that way. It worked fairly well, but it was pissing Aaron off because they had quicker reaction time.

The trucker was an aggressively sore loser. He hated being beaten.

"So let me get this straight," Ironhide said to Tess, watching the video game match with vested interest, "you brother is playing a virtual reality where the foes are virus-infected humans…that…_eat_ other humans?"

She nodded with a grin. Az had always been into the horror genre, although Call of Duty: Zombies really wasn't that bad compared to some other games, "Yep. Even when we were kids."

The massive black bot rolled his shoulders and scoffed. "That's so primitively _disgusting_."

"Well's that so? I'ma bet yer just scared y'all gon' get yer metal ass _handed_ to ya if'ya square off 'gainst _me_!" Aaron gloated, looking at the giant bot with a look that Tess knew all to well. It wasn't just a teasing, jovial statement.

It was a _dare_.

Tess looked over at Ironhide, then to Aaron, and then back to Ironhide. Grinning, she hissed at him, "Go on, teach him a lesson 'Hide. Jerk deserves to lose once in a while."

Surprised, Ironhide turned his head to look at her "Are you giving me _permission_ to annihilate your brother?"  
>"…In a manner of speaking." She grinned back.<p>

A hacking cough came from the trucker in question, the controller clenched tightly in his hand with a cocky grin spread across his face. He crossed his legs and sat Indian style on the hood of his Autobot guardian; his eyes narrowed determinedly at his 'rival' robot.

"Bring it, rust-bucket!"

0-0-0-0-0

"Useless!" Ratchet snarled angrily, holding one of Tessa's jumpsuits between his large fingers like a set of doll clothes, "The signature is still detectable…even on her _clothing_. Argh!"

Optimus could sense his CMO's frustration, they had been working on a solution for the last week and a half with no results; and it was irritating both of them. As much as he did not wish to admit it, the Prime was getting frustrated with being so distant from Tessa; even though she was more than understanding about _why_.

He didn't want to magnify the signature on her, not only for her own safety, but for the safety of the rest of the humans and Autobots on base. If Tessa was bearing an 'unguarded' signal, then she was at risk of being discovered. All a Decepticon would need to do would be to stumble across the proximity of the base, and there was the chance that she would be easily detectable.

She could be protected here…but the base would still be open to attack.

"Ratchet…" he rumbled deeply, activating his holoscreens and looking over the details of the medic's numerous reports and notes; some of which didn't make sense to one who was not a med-bot. "Why…_why_ can we not contain the Energon reading? Tessa is in danger for as long as she is exposed...My own selfishness has put her in danger."

"Selfishness?" Ratchet scoffed as he dropped the clothing from the test failure onto the metal berth in the medical bay, "Prime, selfishness is not even in your programming. You don't mean that."

The Autobot leader's optics narrowed in personal frustration, feeling a deep sense of conflict. "I allowed my personal yearning to override my duty as a soldier. There is a _reason_ we do not take mates during wartime, Ratchet; you know that."

"You're saying that you wish you'd never gotten involved with Tess…?" To Optimus' surprise, Ratchet actually sounded concerned; but then again Tessa was considered a 'member' of their somewhat out-of-the-ordinary family. To ease the Hummer-bot's concerns, Prime shook his head slowly, his words sounding heavy in his metal mouth.

"Of course not." He said gently, his tone easily reflecting all the fond memories he had with the woman; some of them far more _private_ than others, "I just wish…that I had thought ahead to the possibilities…I had assumed that my signature would cloak her as it has done for me."

"You could not have known this would happen, Optimus. You and Tess are in uncharted territory; the two of you are creating a brand new path in history. No Cybertronian has ever loved a human as you have; so don't _blame_ yourself for not knowing, old friend."

A perturbed 'hmm' rumbled up the Prime's chest before he turned to the discarded clothing lying in a crumpled heap on the birth, their previous attempts at masking his signature having failed completely. The Energon signature that was now part of Tess, they had discovered, would rub off onto her clothes the same way Optimus' would disperse onto his armour.

A way of marking ones property

"What we need…" the Prime mused, "is a way for the signature to _acknowledge_ Tessa. It won't guard itself on a foreign presence…"

Ratchet was silent for a moment before he reactivated his holoscreens, running through figures and details as though trying to determine something before he answered his commander. For a brief instant he looked hopeful, but upon opening one of his archived files on signatures and how to mask them, the metal of his brow furrowed and he shook his head.  
>"I don't think we can manage that, Optimus…" he said with a deflated hiss, "For an Energon signature to even consider <em>recognizing<em> a being, they host has to actually _contain_ Energon. Tess is human, they're made of nothing but blood and tissue and not a drop of the stuff exists in them. And I don't think I've let her work with enough Energon matter for it to have had any chance to even be absorbed by skin cells. We need a different course of action."

Despair was not something that Optimus Prime could say he experienced very often throughout his lifetime, but they were having to face the very real concept that there may not have been a way to find a way through this…after all humans and Cybertronians were never designed to be together.

He feared that perhaps he and Tessa's story had been doomed before it started.

What if even with all that they had gone through, everything that had grown between them, they were never meant to be together? Perhaps despite every hurdle they had overcome, every time they had thought they'd found a way around their physical differences…they were always going to be blocked by this _Pit-spawned_ dilemma. Was it really fate's decision that perhaps he would have to strip her of his signature and deny her his whole self? Could he restrict himself like that?

No. The temptations to mark her, claim her, be _one_ with her…it would be too much. If he was going to have to strip her of the signature, he would have to break their connections all together…and then he would have to live the rest of his existence knowing he had promised her the world, and torn it from under her.

The very idea of the suggestion made him feel like his chest would rip in two.

In all his millennia of life he had never know a greater joy than holding her close to him, the presence of her voice in the cabin of the Peterbilt as they drove with no destination; nor could he imagine not witnessing the diamonds that glittered in her amber eyes when she laughed, the sheer amount of _love_ was unfathomable.

How could he be expected to survive without it?

Even the _physical_ aspects of their relationship were things he would never forget. The taste of her mouth when she kissed him, the smell of her hair when he cradled her, the salt of her tears when she cried and he would be her comfort; or the intense sensations he experienced in the Holoform with their bodies moving as one. He had never felt anything like the way she would grip him when she orgasmed, how her legs would tighten around his hips and anchor him with no escape; which caused his body to ejaculate Energon within his mate –

Optimus near felt his Spark freeze.

The Holoform ejaculated _Energon_!

His optics widened and his entire body froze in something akin to shock. Ratchet heard the jarring shift in the Prime's gears and looked at him, activating a mild scan in concern that perhaps their lack of solution might have driven the leader to shock.

"Optimus?" he said sharply, reaching over and resting an arm against his friend and tapping the metal solidly, "What is it? Optimus."

Shaking his head in an attempt to try and clear himself from the daze, Optimus looked down at the slightly shorter mech; his optics betraying the idea in his head.

"You said that Tessa would need…Energon…for it to recognize her…yes?"

Ratchet activated the screens from the projectors within Optimus' arms, pointing to a couple of the diagrams so that he knew what he was talking about, "Exactly. She would require it to work as a base…even _traces_ of it might have had the chance. Perhaps if I allowed her to do some work with_ raw_ Energon…but I would be so afraid of it reacting and poisoning her. Perhaps there's a controlled test we could do to gauge her compatibility to it. If it doesn't harm her maybe we can work on letting her body absorb it via proximity with time…Possibly in a few years–"

"-Ratchet we don't _have_ years!" Prime hissed, his Spark near crackling at the idea, "I…don't think Energon will harm her…"

The Chief Medical Officer was silent for a moment, his optics whirred as they focused intently on his commander. Scans showed signs of accelerated Spark movement, and the gears inside Optimus' head were clearly working quite intensely on something, "Optimus, what is it that you know…?"

Cycling a sharp intake, the leader raised a hand to his projected holoscreens shut them off; pressing his finger and thumb to the circuits that were located where a human's temples would be. "I think…Tessa has already been exposed to Energon; not on her skin as you suggested…but…_internally_."

"_What_?" Ratchet thundered, "She's ingested Energon? Prime tell me that's not true! With that level of chemical combinations, it could _kill_ her-!"

"No. Nothing of that…nature." Optimus assured him, placing a hand on his friend's arm to try and calm him even though he himself did not feel calm at all, "But it just occurred to me…Our _Holoforms_ are able to produce their own Energon, with the waters and alcohols they consume. We discovered that Energon itself is the only form of…well…_lubrication_ that it can produce."  
>A long, incredibly awkward silence stretched out between them before Ratchet cleared his throat, seemingly a little off-put by the embarrassing confession; but as a medic he pushed through it to try and get down to the science of the matter.<p>

"Are you saying that Tessa has been in internal contact with directly produced Energon...during _interface_?"

"Yes."

"Has she shown any signs of illness? I haven't detected anything out of the ordinary on my scanners day-to-day…but you spend far more time in close proximity with her."

Optimus shook his head, "No. She has been in perfect health, Ratchet. I have not seen anything ill as a result…although…" he paused and placed a hand at his chest as though cradling his Spark, "I have noticed that my…my Spark acknowledges her much easier…I can _feel_ her as though I were detecting a Cybertronian…What can that mean?"

Hastily bringing up some scans, Ratchet uploaded a diagram they had installed of Tessa from a recent military physical she'd gone through. There was nothing specific to their topic, but it gave a holographic silhouette of her form, able to highlight necessary arteries and organs; her nervous system and blood streams.

"How long have the two of you been sexually active, Optimus?"  
>There was an uncomfortable pause. The Prime did not <em>want<em> to be divulging such intimate details of Tessa without her present to consent, but it seemed that they currently had little choice, "We have been…_together_ for just short of a year…perhaps six to nine months we have…been…"  
>"That long would have been plenty of time for there to be a reaction…"Ratchet mused, now oblivious to his friend's mortified embarrassment now that he was working on some figures and calculations in his processors, "If that is the case…then perhaps her body has already absorbed some of the Energon that your Holoform ejected. Her body is adapting…<em>fascinating<em>! The signature would be…we could…hm, if I just…"

Inputting something into the diagrams, a simulation ran through the holograph of Tessa's body; a blue glow running through where the representation of blood vessels and veins were located. Optimus watched in fascination as the medic ran a few more diagnostics, before the glow settled where the model's chest was.  
>"Of <em>course<em>!" Ratchet exclaimed, his voice simply emanating success.

Optimus felt a little wary of hoping that just maybe, Ratchet had found a solution, "What is it?" he asked cautiously, his vocal processor contracting nervously in wait of an answer. Ratchet turned with his optics gleaming and his mouth turned up into a carbon metal smile.

"With Tessa's body containing Energon it will give us a base to work from; there's a chance we could make the signal regard her as the _origin_ for itself. If I can find a way to combine your Energon mark with her own human mark…I think I will be able to use it as a way to make the masking effect _stick_ with her."

There were no words in any language (_human or Cybertronian_) that could possibly describe the sheer relief that washed through the Prime's massive frame. The idea that perhaps they had found a way to keep Tess out of danger, and he would not have to give her up to do so. Looking at the diagrams that Ratchet was now becoming absorbed in, coding in calculations to look at later in his note; Optimus tried to comprehend what would be done. Needless to say, there was much he would not understand considering this sort of thing was a medic's field of work, but he still wanted to understand the situation; it was _his_ Tessa's safety after all.

"How long will it take?" he rumbled deeply.

Ratchet shook his head, "It's difficult to say exactly…depending on the results it could take hours, or it could take weeks. But in any case we first need to get something to fuse with the Energon signature of _yours_."

"Like what?" Optimus asked, moving to follow the CMO as the med-bot made motion to leave the hangar. The sunlight stung his optics briefly, considering how long they had been cooped up in the medical bay, "Ratchet, where are we going?"

The Hummer-bot turned to face his Autobot commander and pointed to the direction of the hangar where the sound of shooting, laughing and playful arguing could be heard. It was evident that this was where most of the bots were spending their free time currently; Aaron's video game system had become quite a hit among them.

"If this is going to have any chance of working at all," he replied seriously, "the I'm going to need a sample of Tessa's DNA."

**For the record, I've had a LOT of people asking me if Tessa will be turning into a Cybertronian.**

**The answer is NOPE, our beloved Tessa is human and she will be staying that way. However there are a couple of interesting plot twists to come just before Dark Of The Moon starts up; but I'm not giving anything away. Hahaha.**

**Hope everyone is still enjoying the story! I never would have expected it to get so far, or with so many readers!  
>Here's to MANYmore wonderful chapters to come before this fanfiction journey ends!<strong>


	82. Before Angels Fall

**OH MY GOD! I AM **_**SO**_** SORRY!**

**I know, I KNOW! This chapter is long in coming. I didn't mean for it to take so long; there have been a lot of family issues at home lately and a lot of fighting. It's still going on, unfortunately, and makes it difficult to find the time to sit down and write.**

**Anyhow, I really, truly, honestly am sorry about the wait, I hate doing that to you guys. Hope you can forgive me.**

**But on with the story. I hope Optimus and Tessa enjoy this moment of loving peace…because the next chapter or two will develop a very heartbreaking and difficult situation for them, here's the hint.**

**What if staying away was the only way to save the one you loved?**

**MWAHAHAHA!  
>As the title of the chapter suggests, '<strong>_**Before Angels Fall**_**' this is a calm-before-the-storm chapter. The chapter title is a Short Stack song, because although I am really not a fan of them, it was a request from a friend that I name a chapter after one of their songs.  
>Hope you like it Montana! :D<strong>

**P.S. I very much hope y'all like the little bit of MaggiexAaron luurrrvvvveee.**

"How could you ask me to _do_ something like this, Ratchet! Of all the horrible, evil things in the world you ask _this_?" Tessa squeaked dramatically. She heard Aaron scoff beside her and she turned to shoot him a dirty look. "It's not _funny_, you ass! I'd do anything but this! I don't know why you'd expect me to do this! Optimus I thought you _loved_ me!"

Before anyone else could feed her rant, Aaron clipped Tessa upside the head and leered down at her from where she sat.

"Tessie, it's a blood test. Ya ain't gonna die. Yer boyfriend ain't not lovin' you just 'cause yer getting a _blood test_."

Jutting out her bottom lip at her brother in a form of petulant retort, she crossed her legs and huffed as Ratchet's Holoform worked, "But it's blood! It's so _disgusting_!"  
>This time, the medic was the one to laugh. "I don't understand…you can slice your arm open on a power saw and try to bandage it on your own…but you can't handle a syringe of your own blood?"<p>

Tessa shot him an obvious look, "But it's the fact that it _is_ my blood…bubbled up into some tube and…argh GROSS!" she cringed as she watched the dark red liquid ooze up into the syringe and Aaron physically saw her squirm; something he'd always found hilarious when they were kids.

Optimus was watching in full form, his massive bipedal mode crouched over the small medical corner as he addressed her. "I am sorry Tessa…I don't wish to cause you discomfort but…"

"Aw _shit_!" Aaron interrupted, "Don' che listen to 'er bullshit, Capt'n. Tessie's just bein' a drama queen; even when we was kids she could handle cuts an' scrapes just fine, but mention a check-up 'r one o' them booster shots she'd run squealin' like a little pig!"

Tessa made a miffed noise from her chair, "I did _not_! Don't be a liar, Az!"

The elder of the Jackson siblings snorted once more, shaking his head with a cheeky grin filled with mirth, "Maybe ya were to young t' remember, Tessie…but when you was five an' you broke yer arm tearin apart the lawn mower, it took _three_ nurses ta hold ye down fer the splint break. Ain't never seen a kid thrash so much!"

"There," Ratchet's Holoform said calmly, "it's all done."

Tessa looked down at where he had taped a wad of cotton to absorb any leaking blood from the crook of her arm and she felt herself go a little week at the knees; thankful she was already sitting down. She had never dealt well with medical business, or anything to do with the gross functions of the human body; blood and guts had never been her strong point.

She couldn't even watch Grey's Anatomy without squirming.

"So…what're y'all gon' actually _do_ with Tessie's blood?" Aaron asked with a genuinely curious tone, scratching his coppery-brown hair distractedly.

Ratchet's Holoform looked at the vial of blood with mild interest before looking up at the massive bipedal Optimus, then returning his gaze to the Jackson male. "Aaron, we explained to you the process of Cybertronian signature marking, correct?"

"Mm-hm." Az nodded, his brow furrowing a little bit.

He had been a little bit concerned about to whole concept of 'marking' when he'd been told about it. He'd so _eloquently_ described it as 'territorial pissing' to which Tessa had slapped him upside the head and told him that it wasn't like that. He'd laughed and said she'd been pissed on by a giant robot.

Ironhide had found that terminology hilarious.

"Well," Ratchet responded, "I need to do some fine tuning on the calculations…but according to my diagnostics; we may be able to fuse Tessa's blood with Optimus' personally guarded Energon. If we can find some way to attach it to her, the signal may just transfer a mask onto her; this would guard her signal against Decepticons just as Optimus' guards him. It won't be easy…but I think we can accomplish it."

The trucker looked around at them and shrugged, "Well 'en how do ya plan to…_attach_ that signal thing to 'er?"

The medic's Holoform shrugged and looked up at his commander before holding the needle up to the light to observe the blood as he spoke; the illumination of the red liquid making Tessa squeak in disgust. "I have a few ideas, Aaron; but don't worry. We are going to do everything we can to ensure her safety."

Az snorted in a dignified manner, "Yer damn _right_ ya will, Doc. Otherwise I'm gon' see to it that my truck kicks yer metal ass all th' way back to Cyber-Town."

Tessa facepalmed as Ratchet shrugged again with a smirk and turned his back. "Aaron…" she muttered, "It's _Cybertron_."  
>"Aw, whatever." He scoffed, walking over and placing a fond hand on her head, "Anyway, Tessie I'm gon' have t' love ya an' leave ya; I gotta get to their tech lab 'r somethin' fer training. Said they're gon' show me how t' track an' hack them 'Con's signals."<p>

"For when you're on the road with Ultra Magnus?" she asked curiously, glancing over at Optimus who gave her a discreet and affectionate smile as he followed Ratchet out the hangar to the medical bay. She returned it with a wave, knowing he was openly eager to get this dilemma with the unguarded signature sorted out as soon as possible.

"Yep," Aaron huffed, "I gotta be able t' recognize an Energon signature on radar an' then how I'm s'posed to hack into it. I think they're teachin' me what that Cyber-language o' theirs sounds like too; so I can decipher any o' them signals we find by ear."

Tess smiled, feeling her heart swell happily. It felt wonderful to have a member of her family on board with the people she worked for; with the Autobots and their cause. Aaron was no soldier, but he was tough, loyal and completely ready to fight for what he believed in. He and the new Autobot, Magnus, would be a perfect fit for their growing dysfunctional family.

"I'm glad that you're finding a place here, Az…" she said happily, pulling him into a tight hug, "It's nice to have you here with us."

He shrugged at her admission, his cheekbones dusting a very, very faint rose colour as he cleared his throat. "Aw shit, y'all didn't gimme much choice, Tessie!" he laughed, "Was join the alien army, or lose me damn truck; an' I ain't forkin' out another 20,000 shells fer another one!"

She laughed in response and slapped him on the arm, "Whatever you say, tough guy. Go to your tech lessons; I need to go and see about a fuel leak in one of the ground vehicles. Have fun!"

Waving his hand nonchalantly, the elder of the two Jackson siblings headed off towards to building where the analysts and theory engineers resided; the computer house of the base.

0-0-0-0-0

"And one of the most important things when you're trying to hack or identify a signal like this one –"

The blonde analyst who had been charged with training Aaron stopped short in her explanation. It had been a few years since that fateful day she'd gotten involved with the alien feud (_or stumbled into it, more like_) but Maggie Madsen had come a long way since then.

After the events of Mission City, once N.E.S.T had been formed, she and her 'advisor' Glen had been offered employ under the military's care. They were both brilliant and cutting edge with their know-how of technology, and Glen had more recently been transferred to the N.E.S.T mobile base somewhere in California. Maggie had chosen to stay with the original crew to run analysis and tech-aid for them.  
>And now she had been landed with the chain-smoking truckie for the last week and a half so that he could become a travelling branch of Optimus Prime's cohort. He was annoying, funny, handsome and <em>infuriating<em> to say the least.

"_Aaron_." She snapped, her Australian accent adding to the snippy tone she was trying to convey. The auburn haired man looked up from his assigned laptop with vague interest, a sloppy and cheeky grin plastered to his face; his eyes conveying amusement.  
>"Yes, Capt'n?" he drawled gravelly, crossing his arms on the table in front of him and leaning over them, "Can I help ya with somethin' ma'am?"<p>

Her blonde eyebrows furrowed a little bit as she stared down at him. He'd been trying for days to get her to crack, or yell, or snap at him; using any form of annoying tricks he could to make her react. She'd tried to be professional, but his terribly contagious humour and smart-assed attitude were getting her.  
>"Will you just <em>pay attention<em>?" she huffed, tapping his computer screen with her nail irritably as she clenched her teeth in annoyance. "The ability to analyse alien interferences could be a life and death difference; so stop _piss farting_ around!"

There was a few moments of complete, awkward silence that filled the computer lab, Aaron's piercingly blue eyes were wide in surprise as he regarded her. But in an instant, a wide grin tugged at the corner of his face, and his massive fist thumped the table loudly; a roaring mirthful laugh rumbling up his chest.

Maggie was actually at a loss for what to say, it certainly hadn't been the reaction she was expecting. But then again, it seemed that Aaron Jackson was incredibly gifted with doing the unexpected.  
>"Well it's 'bout damn <em>time<em>!" he said gleefully, leaning on one arm to look at her with a cheeky expression.  
>"Huh?" she exclaimed, confused, exasperated and certainly a little weirded out by his 'out-of-step' reaction, "For what?"<p>

He propped an unlit cigarette into his mouth and flashed her a grin, "About time that ye've shown some fight!" he said cheekily, "I been wonderin' if little Kangaroo Jack 'ad any fight in 'er."

"…Fight? What…what is _wrong_ with you?" she huffed, gathering her papers and shuffling them into a neat pile, trying to hide the embarrassed expression on her face. It was like he'd been baiting her and pulling her strings the entire time…just to see when she'd snap and tell him to shape up? She pressed her fingers to her left temple and rested her elbow on the table; a heavy sigh escaping her, "Aaron…just…do the analysis equation I've put on your computer…"

Spinning playfully in his chair, Az pulled a cigarette from his pocket, placed it between his lips and lit it before he leaned against the table onto his elbows; his back pressed against the lip of it as he turned to view the pretty blonde with a smarmy, self-confident little grin. The smoke curled from the cancer-stick in soft, wispy ribbons as his piercing blue eyes bore into her own murky green.

"Tell ya what…" he said with a calm drawl, tilting his chin up to look at her squarely, his back still turned and elbows languidly supporting his weight against the counter, "…I'll do the work…if ya agree t' goin' out fer dinner with me."

This genuinely shocker her. Maggie could not deny that the man was charming, in a brash, set-fire-to-your-patience kind of way and his humour had certainly kept long hours from becoming dull…but dinner? He was openly _hitting_ on her! What _frustrated _her was the fact that he didn't seem to ever pay any attention to what she said before he would crack another smart, or make a joke about something; or make some stupid, flirty comment that would leave her flustered and ordering him to get back to work.

So, in true Maggie Madsen style…she was going to beat him at his own game.

"I have a better proposition for you, _Mr_ Jackson…" she said smartly, drumming her long nails on the counter rhythmically as a sly smile crossed her face. Despite how much she knew he hated being referred to as 'Mr Jackson' he nonetheless quirked up his lip in an almost-sneer before replying.

"An' what did ya have in mind lil' lady?" he chided, taking a drag of his cigarette and blowing the smoke in the opposite direction; knowing that Maggie was not a fan of his habit. She laced her fingers together and rested her chin in them with a smirk, feeling like she might actually come out on top with this little game; surely she couldn't lose…

"I'll agree on a dinner date…_if_ you can do the analysis equation correctly." She stated.

She didn't miss the way the muscles of his broad arms twitched as he clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing at her from under the stray strands of his auburn hair. He appeared sceptical.

"An' if I do…ye'll go on a date with me?"

She placed her hand over her heart with a cheeky grin, "Scout's honour. But _only_ if you get it right. And considering you haven't been paying much attention…that might be a challenge. How about it, hick?" Then she held her hand out over the table across from them.

Her confidence had increased with his apparent worry of her terms, but in an instant it crumbled when she saw his demeanour change from concern, to victory. He clasped her tiny hand tightly, his palm engulfing her little fingers; a size difference that he didn't miss. His eyes focused intensely onto hers and he grinned broadly, the cigarette dangling between his teeth.

"Deal."

His hand abruptly detached from hers and clasped the screen of the laptop, his eyes scanning the screen from a moment before looking up at her with a smirk. Keys tapped and the touchpad clicked every few seconds as he adjusted a few things on the screen. Maggie was left physically _stunned_ when he leaned back and cracked his neck before spinning the screen towards her and pushing it in front of her to see.

The objective that she had been trying to get him to pay attention to earlier was a fairly basic, generic signal hack; based around one of the signals she had intercepted from a Decepticon. The signal had been hidden within a 'code' that she'd created a method to deciphering and the aim of the task she'd set was for Aaron to detect a signal match and bar it from a connection line.

Simple when the know-how was there, but tricky and near impossible when one didn't know the logistics. She had been certain that Aaron wasn't listening to her at all while she'd been trying to explain it…but as she looked over at the results he'd put in front of her…

"It's…correct…" she gasped in awe, looking up at him with her jaw hanging open and her eyes disbelieving, "…but you…you didn't _listen_ to anything!"

A heavy, rumbling chuckled rolled up the trucker's chest as he shook his head at her, an amused smirk crossing his features. A trail of smoke curled up from his cigarette as he pulled it from his lips and looked Maggie in the eye.

"Sweet'eart, I may be a _hick_, but I ain't stupid. Yer been teachin' me how to do this crap fer days; I've been listenin' I assure ya."

Her cheeks flushed red, realizing that she had just completely and utterly lost a bet that she'd clearly not had a chance at winning in the first place. He was right, Aaron may have been rough around the edges…but he was quick-witted and very intelligent. He had a strong grasp of mathematical function and took in more information than he led others to believe; and Maggie had fallen for it hook like and sinker. She rested her chin defeatedly in her hand and looked over at him with a resigned expression.  
>"Alright cowboy," she sighed dramatically, "<em>one<em> dinner date."

A cocky smirk crossed his features once more as he chuckled again, the smoky baritone giving away his cigarette habit, "Girly, after a night with me; you'll be begging for a second date."

Bracing her chin into interlaced fingers, she arched a fine eyebrow at him and returned his confidence with a cheeky smirk of her own, "Well then…clearly _you've_ never tried to tame an Australian."

Matching her stare evenly, he turned his body to face her and copied her pose; their eyes burning into one another as he gave her a sly sneer. Their playful, bantering air still hung around them, teasing and testing the boundaries; how far they could frustrate and challenge each other before one of them broke.

"Bring it, Kangaroo Jack."

0-0-0-0-0

"Wow!" Tess gasped, looking at the object displayed in front of her, "_This_ is going to guard a signature? But it's so tiny!"

Optimus' Holoform nodded slowly, holding the delicate chain of the object over his false fingers, "From Ratchet's calculations…this should work…"

The medic scoffed, "It _will_ work; no if's or but's about it. Put it on her, Optimus."

She outstretched her fingers cautiously, but retracted them in an instant; not wanting to touch the beautiful item. It was too surreally delicate for it to seem graspable, she didn't want to _ruin_ it.

"What…what if I break it?" she asked cautiously, looking at it sceptically.

Ratchet gave a rumbling chuckle and shook his head at her naivety, observing the object in the Holoform's hand. His thoughts mulled over how exhausting and time consuming the task had been to make the tiny, Pit-damned little object.

It was a necklace.

Made of metal shaved from Optimus' own form; the two of them having decided that Cybertronian metal would be the best thing to craft it from. Using the Holoforms for the delicate task of metal-working, they had designed a pendant which they had laced with a central chamber containing a combination of Optimus' Energon and a sample of Tessa's blood. With Ratchet's careful equations and calculations they had learned that the combination would react to the signature on Tessa's body. It would register the scent of Optimus' Energon, and the fact that it was mixed with hers; which would in turn prompt it to cloak the rest of her, seeing it as a source.

The tiny pendant bore the emblem of the Autobots, and was no bigger than Tessa's thumbnail. The dainty design, being laced with Prime's Energon, had neon blue glowing in the eyes and line details of the charm.

"Break it?" Ratchet snorted at her, crouching down on his haunches to speak to her and Optimus' Holoform, "It's made from Cybertronian metal, not to mention that the _entire_ thing is laced with Energon. _Live_ Energon. Even the chain is Cybertronian…show her, Prime."

With a nod and a relieved expression, Optimus gladly lifted the necklace and slid it around her throat, bringing the two ends together behind her neck. There were no clasps on either side of the chain, but he lifted a thumb to the mouth of the Holoform and bit down until he broke the almost metal skin; seeing Energon well up on the surface.  
>This live Energon was what he then used to fuse the ends of the chain together, leaving it unable to be removed. "There is no clasp, Tessa." He murmured to her, sliding both his arms around her waist from behind and pulling her close; her tangles of coppery brown hair tickling his cheekbone, "It will not come off unless I remove it…I do not like feeling like I have…trapped or contained you but…this is the best way to ensure it <em>stays<em> with you. The necklace can only guard you when it is worn; otherwise the signature becomes clear and unguarded again."

Tessa gave a laugh and shook her head, looking down at the dainty, metal and Energon pendant that now sat nestled on her collarbone. "It's beautiful. I wouldn't _want_ to take it off, Chief. It's such a gorgeous necklace…"

She felt his strong arms tighten a little as he pulled her in further and placed his lips against her temple.  
>"You gave me yours…" he murmured, lifting his wrist a little so that she could view the necklace of her Gran's, "…It seems only fitting that I give you something of mine."<p>

He didn't miss the fondness in her eyes as her fingers twined underneath the cross on his wrist, his gaze following hers. "Tell me…" he murmured into her ear, "Tell me who she was…"

Ratchet cleared his throat and shook his head, "I'm going to leave you two. I will see you later."

The medical officer left without any further words, knowing that the two had slipped into a world that nobody else existed in; a world that he actually found himself happy that Prime had finally discovered with someone. Even if it was a human…a human that had somehow worked her way into being important to all of them; and as the door to the hangar slid shut behind the medic, Optimus' Holoform lowered his hand over hers, twining their fingers gently as he spoke again.  
>"Tell me…" he whispered.<p>

The Autobot did not miss the smile on her face; a sad, but infinitely fond smile.

"I'm named after her, you know…" she murmured, "my middle name; Cecily. It was her first name."

"Mm-hm." He murmured, turning her in his arms to cradle her against the Holoform's chest as he sat down on the Peterbilt's side step; the object of his affection tucked safely on his lap. Perfectly content, she continued her memories of the woman who had been so important to her.

"She was my mom's mother, she looked just like her…Everyone always said I did too. She was religious; that's where the cross comes from…a Catholic. She wasn't preachy about it though, she always used to hate people who tried to force their religion down everyone's throats. My whole life, I used to _beg_ her to let me try on that cross. And she always told me I had to wait until I was old enough."

A breathy laugh came from her, obviously she remembered the times very clearly.

"When I was little we used to go to my grandparents' house for birthdays and Christmases and holidays…" she smiled deeply at the thought, "Before Poppy –my grandfather– passed away, they always played this board game, Scrabble with us. It's a game where you make words using the letters you get and Gran would totally wipe the floor with Poppy. He was always mathematical; Az got that from him too…but Gran was always good with words. She just had this…_light_ about her. Like when she was there it was just warmer…and when she'd _hug_ you it just made you fill up with so much love you could hardly breathe right. And then when she got sick…"

Optimus felt her fingers tighten a little against his back, the cloth of his jacket twisting in her grip. He could feel the sadness from her, something that was dimmed with the happy memories…but it was there. "What happened to her?" he murmured gently.

A deep breath resounded around the room before she finally continued with the hard part.

"She was diagnosed with bone cancer when I was 17…three years later she died. She didn't stay in the hospital towards the end, she said she wanted to be at home where Poppy was, and one day she just…went to sleep and didn't wake up." Her voice sounded heavier now, clearly these were memories that she did not usually like to associate with her beloved grandparent, "But even at her worst, she used to smile and laugh…and kick everyone's butts at Scrabble. When she got too weak to play it anymore…she used to play anagrams with us; said it kept her mind working…I-"

Tessa's voice cracked slightly, and Optimus could hear her trying to hold back tears as her tone thickened in order to fight them.

"I was the one who found her…I'd been helping Mom care for her and…I went to give her breakfast and she was just…_gone_…"

"And she left you the cross." Optimus finished gently, pulling her close and weaving his fingers into her hair. The mechanic nodded in response, feeling him tuck his chin onto her scalp.

"Yeah…she did… She wrote in the will that it would bring me luck, help me find my place…my peace. I never really understood that…but then when _you_ died…when that _thing_ took you away…I felt like there was nowhere but next to you."

This time it was Optimus' hands that tightened into the fabric of her shirt, pressing her as close as physically possible in this form. He knew the feeling; there would never be another place that he would rather be than at her side; in her heart and in her soul. His chest felt like it was going to crack from the sheer amount of love and protection he felt towards her. Through pure instinct, he knew what the feeling signified…there was only one way for Cybertronians to feel more love than he did right now…with the merging of Sparks.

He wanted to feel that…no matter whether it worked or not.

"Tessa…" he murmured against her gently, pulled her tightly into his lap as he cradled her, "I want a Sparkbond…with you."

Her eyes widened in surprise, looking up at him; her eyes damp from the previous memories of her Gran, "What…right now?"

He gave a heavy chuckle at her naivety, "No, Tess…Sparkbonding is a process that requires preparation, of the mind and the soul…in any case I doubt it will even work…considering you do not have a Spark. But that doesn't mean I would not be willing to try…"

Her heart fluttered at his words, unsure of what to say, "Wow…Chief I…I mean…"

"Don't say anything now," he said softly, "it is merely a proposition; I would like you to think on it, but for now…I think you need to rest."

Tessa scoffed, "You ought to talk, tough guy. When's the last time _you_ rested?"

"I confess that stasis has been difficult recently…I could not rest properly knowing you were not fully protected….but now, with this," he traced a finger gently over her collarbone and around the pendant before trailing it up to drag across her bottom lip, "…now I know you are safe."

Unable to resist, he converged the Holoform's lips gently over hers in a soft, languidly pleasant kiss as they sat on the side-step of the Peterbilt. He kissed her this way for only a few moments before he moved to stand, bringing her up with him to stand on her own.

"Come now, you need sleep." He took her hand and moved to direct her to the barracks, but she remained stationary.

"No," she said gently, placing a hand on the side of the truck and pressing her forehead to the metal; her eyes closed in something between affection and tiredness, "I want to sleep here, in the truck…with you."

With a single nod, the door to the truck opened slowly for her to climb in and the Holoform disintegrated once she was within the sleeping cabin; rested comfortably in the back as she closed her eyes.

Just the mechanic, and her truck.


	83. You Don't Belong

**Yay, new chapter.**

**So…remember when I told you guys that there were family issues…?  
>Yeah, my sister ran away from home. To the other side of the country. To live with her dumbass boyfriend…<strong>

**She has literally ripped my family apart with her desperation to do whatever the fuck she wants, and broken all of our hearts. **

**I am using this chapter as a distraction, so I hope you all enjoy it. My little sister was my whole world, and now I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive her.**

**If you guys feel up to it, leave a nice detailed review; because I assure you I could sure as hell use some picking up right about now…  
>My love to you all, cherish those around you and don't take them for granted.<strong>

"Stop laughin' already!"

"Oh God it's too funny!"  
>"…It is <em>not<em>. I was a Casanova!"

Another choking scoff sounded as Tessa tried to restrain her laughter, "I can't believe it! That girl actually _agreed_ to go on a date with you? When?"

Aaron shot her an irritated look and crossed his arms against his truck, Magnus sat quietly in his alt mode without interrupting the conversation. Truth be told, the veteran war soldier found their sibling quarrels quite entertaining; it was pleasing to see his friend communicate with family, no matter how argumentative it seemed.

"We went ta dinner 'bout two weeks after yer blood test; just after Optimus gave yer that." He pointed at her new necklace, resting comfortably where their grandmother's cross had. "Y'know I still don't get why ya gave Gran's necklace to 'im…It was the most important thing in th' world to ya."

With a smile, she crossed her arms and sighed, toeing an invisible line on the concrete hangar flooring absently, "I told you about when he died, Aaron…didn't I?"

He nodded with a shrug, "Well 'course ya did. Y'all told me everything about 'im…well, _almost_ everything; but yer sex life ain't something I need to hear."

She snorted back a laugh and slapped his shoulder, "You're a pig."

Another jovial shrug, "Eh, I try. But anyway, yer sayin' about when he died right?"

"Yeah." she nodded, patting the metal of the Titan before leaning against Magnus' pale blue metal, "Anyway, when I saw him like that…just lifeless and _gone_, before we'd really had much time to act on anything that we felt…I just got this really heavy feeling in my chest. Like when Gran died…"

Aaron gave a throaty cough to clear his lungs before roughly slinging one arm around her shoulders in a seemingly bored gesture, but she knew that he had a similar nature to Ironhide; that was how she'd learned to deal with the cranky mech from early on.  
>Her older brother was a cantankerous, tough old son of a bitch, but he was loyal and cared deeply for those around him; he was just very gruff in showing it. Moments of tenderness like these had usually existed in their childhood between arguments and jokes; always something hidden away that only they saw. This was no different.<p>

Pulling her a little closer into his side, he gave a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I r'member…We all felt it, Tessie…but you…well you was always Gran's favourite. Ya didn't eat fer a week after she died…"

She nodded slowly, using her method of covering up the bad final memories with the more pleasant, happy ones. "It was the same feeling when Optimus died. I just felt so _useless_ because I couldn't do anything to help them; I even went with them to Egypt but I ended up being stuck on one of the navy ships. I was a liability. I guess with Gran's necklace I just…wanted him to have something close to him, so that he wasn't alone at the end…"

"But 'e still wears it…an; he's _alive_ now…?"

"He tried to give it back." She said reassuringly, "But I _wanted_ him to keep it; Gran always said it brought her luck, so I figured that maybe it would give _him_ better fortune the second time around…"

"I dunno about _lucky_…" he teased, looking down at her with a cheeky twinkle in his eyes, "after all 'e _did_ get stuck with you in the end, right?" She elbowed him playfully in the ribs and her responded with a deep, gravelly laugh before tucking her into a rough bear-hug and planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Ah, ya know I'm only kiddin' Tessie. I gotta go, they're givin' me some more trainin' in how t' shoot a gun." He scoffed sardonically, "Like _I_ dunno how to handle a gun. Psh."

"Okay." Tess smiled, returning his hug before releasing him, "I'll see you later. How much longer until they let you out on the road again?"

Another vague shrug rolled through his shoulders before he responded to her. "Not sure, they said I can only get back on th' road once I'm prepared. Hope it ain't gon' be _too_ much longer though. Me an' big guy are getting' restless bein' cooped up 'ere." He thumped the side of the truck affectionately, "Keep 'er company while I'm learnin' to shoot, bud."

A deep, magnanimous chuckle rumbled up the engine and Tessa found herself smiling at just how comfortable the two of them seemed now; their friendship was back to where it had been…a trucker with his faithful vehicle; except now the vehicle could talk back.

"I will take care of her, Aaron." The soldier assured him, a genuine promise easily discernible in his tone.

Another thump, on the hood this time before the trucker made his way to the exit of the hangar, "Ya'd better, big guy." And with that, he took off in his confident swagger and left them in the hangar.

Tessa laughed and shook her head, turning to address Ultra Magnus. "He's so overprotective, he keeps forgetting that I'm _on base_; I'm safe here."

"He is simply acting as a sibling should. Brotherhood is strong among soldiers, I imagine for families such as your own that it is much the same; he speaks fondly of you." The truck rolled a little closer as he spoke to her, and that was when she noted that he was still in alt mode.

"You know, you should change into bipedal form," she said genuinely, "it can't be comfortable to stay like this _all_ the time…?"

A deep 'hmm' came from the engine as he mulled over her words, then proceeded to reassure her. "It isn't particularly different in either form, both are comfortable. Besides I spent near on three years playing the role of your brother's vehicle. I got used to being like this, I suppose."

"Aw, come on Magnus. Stretch your legs a little, would you?" she said playfully, stepping back from the truck to give him room to transform. Knowing for a fact that she probably would not take no for an answer, and given his view of associated respect to the request of his leader's mate, he obeyed.

The sound of hydraulics rang in a familiar chorus through the hangar, but Tessa noticed that the action and the accompanying noise were much slower than any of the other Autobots, much more sluggish; heavier almost. But when the soldier-bot stood in bipedal form above her, she remembered why. Ultra Magnus' stood at a whopping height, she actually had to crane her neck backwards to see his face. His shoulders were boxy and very broad-set, with heavy armour on his legs, arms and chassis; with a helmet quite similar to the one Prime wore. It was easy to see the leader's influence over him, the air of admiration and complete respectful devotion to the Autobot commander evident in every loyal action Magnus took.

"Wow!" she exclaimed with a laugh, "I never thought I'd be able to say it, but I think you're actually _taller_ than Optimus!"

He crouched down onto his haunches, looking out the hangar door before looking down at her with a genuinely earnest expression. "Would you like to walk around the base? I have not given much thought to touring it, perhaps you could guide me?"

Her face lit up with a beaming smile, more than happy to play tour guide, "Sure! Lift me up, I'll show you the sights!"

Obediently he lowered a hand for her to climb into, noticing that she was clearly familiar with how to scale a Cybertronian; he found himself wondering just how many times she had probably sat perched on the shoulders or hands of the rest of the Autobots, namely Prime. Although he had to admit, it was warming to know that his friend and leader had found someone to love so deeply; he contemplated on how long they had been Sparkmates, and how it had even been possible for a human.

How had they gotten it to work properly without the human possessing a Spark? Interesting.

The little human femme then proceeded to instruct him which directions to take, stopping him every now and again to tell a story about certain places or people they saw; many of the more humorous tales involving Sideswipe or Ironhide in some way. He had been genuinely amused upon hearing the bet between them that Sideswipe had lost, earning him a week with the speed limit and a Volkswagen badge on his hood.

He then proceeded to inform her that Sideswipe probably deserved it; that it was the universe paying him back for all the pranks he'd ever pulled with Sunstreaker. Tess had never heard the name before, and her face scrunched up in curiosity.

"Who's Sunstreaker?" she asked genuinely, holding tightly onto Magnus' massive shoulder where she was perched. His expression dimmed a little bit, obviously disturbed by her question.

"He is Sideswipe's twin. On Cybertron, they were inseparable…Sunstreaker…has never made it to Earth?"

Tess looked up at him and shook her head, "Not that I know of…I mean, I haven't known the Autobots the _whole_ time they've been on Earth…but Sides has never mentioned it. He didn't die when Cybertron was destroyed, did he?"

It was Magnus' turn to shake his head now, a heavy his cycling through the vents on his chest in the gesture of a sigh. He was a lot more stoic than the other Autobots she frequented her time with; he was serious and professional with a deep sense of loyal duty. But he had a very subtle sense of humour; probably made more tolerant due to the years of putting up with Aaron on the road. "Sunstreaker was with Sideswipe the last time I was with them, but I went with another of our other soldiers into the thick of a Decepticon swarm to give them an opportunity to escape, so that the two of them could reach Prime and aid him. I survived, but my comrade…" she saw him shake his head at the memory, clearly the lost bot had been a good friend of his, "In the end I was forced off-world by the Decepticons. I don't remember the details of the end particularly well; my processor got quite hazy…but I intercepted a number of Decepticon signals throughout space, and I tracked them to Earth. I am surprised that Sideswipe has never mentioned Sunstreaker…perhaps it is his way of coping, they were a bound set after all."

_This_ statement confused and surprised her, "What, you mean like _Sparkbonded_? But that's a romantic thing; you said they were twins…how does that even work?"

They were now outside one of the leisure hangars where the Cybertronians usually spent their off-duty time, and from the lack of noise, it contained very few bots, or rather the twins at least were not there. It was too quiet for them to be there. Magnus stood outside of the hangar, choosing to enjoy a little bit of the sunshine rather than cooping himself up straight away, after all he spent most of his time out of the desert highways with Aaron; he had grown accustomed to the heat of the blazing sun.

"Not Sparkbonded, Tessa; _bound_. When Cybertronian 'twins' are created, it is because they are two halves crafted from one Spark; bound to one another as friends, brothers, dual sides of one creation. It was considered very risky to have twins in a war like the one that took over Cybertron, because if the enemy side got a hold of one twin…the other would do _anything_ to get them back."

"But…if Sideswipe never _mentioned_ him…then…?"

"If Sunstreaker is dead, then it is likely that the only way for Sideswipe to recover was to push him to the back of his mind…forget him, in a sense. Not within his own mind; because they are twins, one never loses the pain of missing the other, but more so for appearances sake."

Tessa felt her heart sink in empathy, imagining the pain of losing Riley or Aaron was bad enough…but someone that actually shared half your soul? It had to be devastating. She tightened her grip a little bit on the soldier's shoulder before giving a sad, thoughtful sigh.

"That must be horrible for Sides…I'd never have known…"  
>Magnus turned to her, his eyes holding a platonic gentleness about them as he gave her a word of caution, "Then perhaps he doesn't <em>wish<em> for you to know. My advice would be to not mention it to him…Sideswipe has always dealt with sorrow and hardship with humour and jovial actions; I suspect it would bother him if you managed to break through that façade."

Her stomach twisted at the thought that her friend had harboured such a heavy, hurtful secret…and that he'd done so completely alone, never mentioning it or bringing up anything that hinted towards it. She decided to herself, right then and there that the next time Sideswipe came to her for a check-up or diagnosis she was going to be sure to give him a good wash and polish, some form of charitable friendship to make him feel better; even if he didn't know her reason for doing so. "I can't even imagine how horrible it would be to lose a half of yourself like that…It just…there wouldn't be a worse feeling…"

Ultra Magnus gave a rumble of acknowledgment as he finally chose to enter the rec hangar. "Not for Cybertronians, no. There is no worse feeling…which is why I must confess, I worry for Optimus."

This particularly caught Tessa's full attention, turning her face to look up at him with a confused and slightly hurt expression. What was Magnus talking about? "What…what do you mean, 'you worry for Optimus'?" she asked, unsure about what exactly he was getting at.

Lifting his hand, he plucked her from his shoulder and placed her gently on the raised catwalk so that they could talk at eye level. He focused his optics on her, apparently as confused by her reaction as she was by his statement, "I worry for Optimus' mentality in the future, about his leadership."

She felt her chest near jump in shock, from what she had gathered over the recent 2 months that it had taken Optimus and Ratchet to craft the Energon necklace; Ultra Magnus was one of the Prime's oldest and most loyal soldiers. Was he doubting what the leader was capable of? Surely not?

"But…Optimus is a _good_ leader! What makes you think you'd have any need to _worry_ about his capabilities?"

Magnus rested a hand on the railing, shaking his head calmly; honestly a little confused about her reactions. Had she not been informed of the details; of the way things were going to happen with her situation with Optimus? He was unsure of how his leader had managed to take a human mate, but there were eventualities that could not be avoided.

"Your death." He said matter-of-factly. Surely the human _knew_…?

But her perturbed, worried expression told him otherwise, "What? Magnus…in case you haven't noticed, I'm alive and kicking right now; I'm perfectly fine-!"

"-No, I am referring to when you _will_ die. That is what I worry about for Prime."

Tessa felt a strange sense of dread in the pit of her stomach, but human curiosity urged her to investigate. _Curiosity killed the cat, Teresa…_ she thought to herself reluctantly.

"But…I'm not in any danger now. The Decepticons can't find me…"

"Tessa...I am talking about your _inevitable_ death; when your timeline expires and you cease function. Humans do not share a Cybertronian lifespan."

The dread curled itself higher up her stomach, tightening around her spine and her lungs, "I know humans don't live as long as you do…but Optimus is strong, and he's a good leader. He wouldn't let thoughts like that ruin his judgements as a commander; even _I_ know that!"

Ultra Magnus gave her a look that was somewhere between exasperation and irritation; this poor human still didn't understand how Cybertronian unions worked? Had they truly taught her nothing about it? They should not have allowed her to Sparkbond until she knew the details and facts of the matter.

"As his Sparkmate, you hold half of him." He said firmly, sternly; as though he were scolding a sparkling, "When your body expires and you pass away, his Spark will break."  
>That feeling of dread suddenly flared and flushed through her entire body like a poison, her heart sinking and her face prickling with horrible chill at the words. "B-<em>break<em>? You mean that Optimus would die?"  
>The Autobot sensed her distress, deciding that he needed to try and make her understand the actual circumstances of her situation; what he was actually trying to say to her. He was honestly baffled that she hadn't been informed of any of these details, surely as a Sparkbonded pair, she had absorbed this data in the bond? Maybe it was because she was human?<p>

"Perhaps _break_ was too potent a word to use…" he said gently, "It is more akin to a _fracture_. The Spark is still fully functional…but the fracture creates an ache in the source that will never heal. When a bonded Sparkmate dies, the remaining Cybertronian feels it for the rest of their days; no matter how much time passes or how much they try to move forward and forget. They are capable of having new romantic partners, but they never love another as they love their first; any new mate would always come off second best to the bonded lover."

"So you're saying that when I die…Optimus would permanently have…a broken heart?"

Magnus gave a heavy, hissing sound as an intake of air cycled back out through his chest vents, clearly he hadn't wanted to be the one to be informing her of this. "Something of the like, yes. A part of him will always be damaged once his mate dies. Tessa, I would have thought he informed you of all this once you had Sparkbonded; did Optimus never mention it?"  
>"No he-wait…when we…Sparkbonded? But Magnus, we <em>haven't<em> Sparkbonded. He's asked me to try, but we haven't actually done it yet. You mean to tell me that if Optimus Sparkbonds with me, he'll be permanently damaged when I die? He…oh my God…he would suffer for the rest of his life…Magnus I-" her voice cracked as Magnus heard her trying to force back that optic-leaking thing that humans did; tears, Aaron called them, "–I can't…_do_ that to him Magnus…Oh God…"

Her chest clenched in panic, in fear, in desperation to find some solid mental ground; she could not truly be so selfish as to have Optimus love her for the entirety of her lifespan, only to make him suffer for the rest of his own.

In her daze, she heard Magnus shifting on his pedes, feet shuffling noisily against the concrete floor of the hangar they were in. His own Spark was heavy with a guilty pang, realizing that he had probably just told her things that Optimus may have kept from her for this very reason. From what he had learned of the girl in his short time of knowing her, it was that she unknowingly felt what others felt; severe empathy. She always seemed to try and understand others' emotions, to feel them for herself, and this seemed no different.

Magnus had no doubt that she was probably imagining how severe Optimus' pain would be, about how it would feel to live with a fractured 'heart' for the rest of one's life. He could see the increased rise and fall of her chest, and the red colour in her face; her eyes glassy with tears. "I am sorry, Tessa…" he said gently, not knowing quite how he could repair the horrible emotions he was making her feel right now, "I…thought that the two of you had already bonded…the way that he acts around you seemed too deep to be anything else…I simply assumed that the two of you would have discussed this; I-"

"M-Magnus," she stuttered shakily, "it's alright…you…you weren't to know. I just…I think I need to be alone for a while, if that's alright…"

He nodded stiffly, tipping his head a little bit in apology; he would not admit it aloud but he worried for what the implications of his _disruptive_ information would be. Worry settled in the pit of his fuel tanks at the possibilities. Backing up, he turned and went to leave the empty hangar, but was stopped by the young human calling his name.  
>"Magnus?" she said with a wobbly tone.<p>

The massive soldier halted his steps and turned to look at her with a slightly worried gaze, "Yes?"

He watched as her tiny chest expanded and then exhaled heavily; she leaned over the railing to address him as her fingers clenched around the guardrail. Her eyes were glassy and downcast, small hints of tears welling up in the outer corners of the amber orbs; then she looks up at him, taking a deep breath and choking back what was evidently a conflicted sob.  
>"Don't…please don't tell Optimus…." She whispered, "He can't know that you've told me this…Just…let me figure this out…"<p>

With an understanding nod, he stood at full height and pressed a hand to the lip of his helm in the gesture of a salute. Before breaking the salute to leave the hangar, he replied in a stern and serious tone, "You have my word…Lady Prime."

**Oooohhhh. Things are getting serious; finally there's going to be a plot twist. You guys may love and hate me at the same time….  
>Hehehe. *Lé Eville* <strong>

**All my love to you guys xx**


	84. A Pistol To My Temple

**So, still got dilemmas with my sister, still using Primary Mechanisms as a form of distraction.**

**Nothing much else to say, I know you guys have probably been itching to read this chapter, am I right? Hehehe.**

**Oh, also: CONGRATULATIONS to Moon Eclipse Shadows for being the 2,000****th**** reviewer! For your prize, Ironhide will make you breakfast in bed while Optimus gives you a relaxing massage. Enjoy! Hahaha.**

**Because my home-life is stressful lately, all the grammar and spelling errors are Megatron's fault, because he lets Starscream proof-read for him ;)**

"Tessa, are you alright…?" Arcee asked gently, having seen the human's unusually silent attitude during her procedure; she'd required a thorough check of her chest armour from a minor Decepticon raid and Tess had agreed to do it, secretly glad for the distraction from her thoughts, "You've been awfully quiet all afternoon..."

The mechanic looked up briefly from the femme's chassis, her expression blatantly looking like a child that had been caught doing something wrong. A faint colour dusted her cheeks, but Arcee was more focused on watching the little human's eyes, the way they seemed glassy and damp.  
>"Yeah, I'm…fine. Just tired I guess." She said dumbly, trying to appear casual by scratching the back of her neck; but Arcee knew this to be more of a nervous gesture than a characteristic habit. Tess did not usually do it unless something was on her mind. The Autobot gave a chuckle and shook her head, amused by the endearingly pathetic lie that Tess had tried to feed her.<p>

"Don't know how many times we have to tell you, Tessa. Your lying capabilities are not particularly…_honed_." She teased. She noticed the way the girl's shoulders slumped a little bit while working on the gears within the Arcee's chest, very clearly looking like she wanted to situation to just go away. But Tessa was her friend, despite how little she associated with her socially in comparison to Ironhide or Sideswipe. There was a lot about her that reminded Arcee of Elita One, small characteristics that made her feel kinship towards her in some small way, "You know…there's nobody else here, Tess. If something is bothering you and you need to talk about something…femme-to-femme, it won't go further than me."

This seemed to genuinely get the girl's attention, and she found herself trying to resist the desire to be able to actually experience 'girl-talk' even if it was from a giant robot. The revelation from Ultra Magnus was weighing heavily in her mind, her heart sinking with every minute; every time she thought about Optimus having to spend the rest of his existence in mourning, never able to love anyone else.

Eternity was a long time to spend loving someone who was gone…

Tess still didn't know exactly what she should do, her mind was still awhirl with dread and confusion; conflicted with her own thoughts and feelings. Her heart was trying to convince her to stay, but her head was reasoning that Optimus did not _deserve_ to never be able to love again. It was selfish and wrong…but could she really ever be with him and just not Sparkbond? There had to be a way around this, but she did not have all the knowledge to be able to make an informed decision. She felt her resolve crack, knowing that Arcee might be able to offer her crucial information that could help her come to a resolve.

There had to be a way.

"Arcee…can I ask you something about Sparkbonding…?"

The femme was honestly startled by the question, she certainly hadn't expected it to be something like this; but she was somewhat relieved that it was something that she could genuinely help the little female with.

"Of course." She said gently as Tessa set a bout welding the moved chassis plates back into place after the procedure, "What is it that you want to ask?"

With a heavy sigh, Tessa willed herself to find the wording that she needed, despite the horrible sick feeling in her stomach that had settle there since her conversation with Ultra Magnus. She did not blame him for what was said, because he had simply assumed that she knew; even though she was terrified of what my come, logically she was glad that she had been told.

"Is it true that when one person from the Sparkbond dies, the one left gets a fracture in their Spark?"

There was a moment of tense silence, and Arcee very much suspected where this line of questioning might be coming from. Although she did not know the in's and out's of Tess and Optimus' relationship, it would only be natural for the course of their romance to include Sparkbonding. Tessa was obviously seeking clarity and no matter what, Arcee would give her clear and honest information.  
>After all, she had always been a no-bullshit sort of femme.<p>

"Yes, it's true." She said finally. The Cybertronian did not miss the way the human's eyes darkened a little bit at the blunt honesty, but she knew that Tessa would not have appreciated her 'beating around the bush' instead of being sincere; the mechanic had always insisted on hearing it how it was even if she didn't like the result. "Why do you ask? Something in particular on your mind?"

Another heavy sigh, this one seeming a little less stable in its pitch before the girl answered, "I'd rather…just keep that to myself for now…I don't mean any offence by that – I – I just-"

"-Tess…" Arcee cut in gently, "…don't worry. It's okay to keep things to yourself sometimes, just so long as you remember that there _are_ people to help you when you need it. I'm sure that the fracture reaction isn't your only question, right?"

"Yeah…" she replied heavily, "But the problem is I don't know where to begin with asking…"

Arcee gave a liquid chuckle and sat up on the medical table, looking down at Prime's femme who was seated on the edge of it with her tiny feet dangling over it. She was so small in comparison to the Cybertronians, yet this tiny little human had managed to capture the attention of _Optimus Prime_, the bot who was nobly loyal to his cause and allowed no selfish, personal distractions. She found herself thinking that it would have to be quite a woman to fascinate the leader so easily and powerfully.

"Well, how about I fill you in on a few of the basics first? Maybe that'll get the ball rolling."

Tessa just nodded quietly.

Taking this as leave to do so, Arcee cycled an intake and began to access the data files that every Cybertronian possessed about Sparks and their bonding processes. This was information that every Autobot knew, at _least_ as general knowledge.

"Cybertronian Sparks are made from a very special energy matter," she explained clinically, "it's a combination of Energon, metal and life-matter, and the life-matter is pretty much a fragment of 'sparked' energy. That's where the Spark gets its namesake. Only creations such as the All-Spark, the Matrix of Leadership, or better yet Primus himself, can animate the Spark into a living state."

"Wait…I've heard Optimus _say_ the word Primus, what does it mean?"

"Primus is something akin to our God, but unlike your human religions; his existence is not speculation. He created life on Cybertron, he created the All-Spark so that it could continue to breathe life into our race even after he was gone. When our planet was engulfed by the war, Primus was lost to the Planet-Spark; he perished trying to preserve its life."

Tessa seemed a little awed by the idea, "You mean…you've actually met your race's version of a god?" she asked, genuinely astounded by how farfetched and amazing it sounded. However Arcee shook her head.

"Not exactly. When Primus' physical body disintegrated millennia beforehand, he became what you would probably call the 'spirit' or 'voice' of Cybertron. As its creator, he could interpret its needs and what would have to be done, on all of Cybertron. Which is why when the war all but annihilated it; he shut down the MotherSpark in the core centre of the planet, it destroyed the Energon function. Cybertron is a dead planet now; and it's believed that Primus either died as well, or he's dormant. Either way we can't restore him; we don't have the means or the ability for a planet-wide resurrection."

"So…Sparks are not just your hearts…they're your souls?"

"Exactly." Arcee said gently, "In the human race, souls are speculation; a lot of people think it's spiritual and have no need to believe in them. But for Cybertronian, our soul is _fact_; a real, physical energy that is scientifically provable. We can touch ours, you can only have blind faith that yours exist."

Tess gave a brief smile, trying to distract from the worry that still harboured in her heart. She still needed more information, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying being able to talk to Arcee like this. "Well what's your opinion on human souls? Think they actually exist?"

The femme gave a genuine laugh, "I can't really say, but I'll tell you this; you absolutely should have been born with a Spark, Tessa. You fit in better with us than any human I've ever met, especially with how slagging _easily_ you managed to connect with Optimus."

It was bizarre to hear Arcee say 'slagging' because the femme did not often engage in swearing, be it Cybertronian or and human language. Tess felt her heart swell and sink in her chest at the same time upon hearing Arcee's jest, because it reminded her of the conversation Magnus had brought up, reminded her of one fact that filled her with dread.

She was _not_ Cybertronian.  
>And that meant that she would undoubtedly and unavoidably die many, <em>many<em> years before Optimus. It could be hundreds, thousands…_millions_ even, before he offlined for good; possibly even _never_ dying at all. And she had maybe another 60 years, 70 if she was REALLY lucky…she could not fathom the length of time that he would be alone…but how severe would the loss be? She had nothing to compare it to, she knew that even losing a member of her family would not compare to a Spark loss, but she had nothing to physically gage just how bad it was…maybe if she had an example…?

"Hey, Arcee…?"

"Yes?"

Tess twitched her fingers and tightened them into the cloth of her jumpsuit pants. "Ever seen a Cybertronian lose a Sparkmate? I was wondering…what it would feel like…?"

The femme's Spark suddenly felt heavier than before as she shut down the data she had on Sparks, merging and their functions; she wasn't going to need _data pads_ to know the feeling she was about to describe.

"I _have_ seen it, actually. In the last few days of Cybertron, a lot of Autobots lost their bond-mates; but many of them died as well, so I suppose in a way that it was a blessing."  
>Tessa looked up at her quizzically, "Is death really considered a <em>blessing<em> in comparison to losing a Sparkmate?" She noticed the glow in Arcee's optics dimmed a little before she answered in a rather serious, stern tone.

"Undoubtedly."

Tessa felt her heart sink again. If it kept doing so, she felt like it was going to fall through to China. The Autobot hadn't hesitated in her answer, and the mechanic didn't fail to notice the darkened tone in her voice; the distinctly hurt twinge underneath it. A sympathetic suspicion welled up in her stomach as she looked at Arcee in concern.

"You…you lost one, didn't you?"

A long silence stretched out before the two of them, a heavy intake cycling through the robot's vents as she felt the memories whirling through her processors. "Yeah…I did."

"…Who? If- only if you don't mind me asking…I just-"

Arcee shook her head, "No, it's alright. My bondmate…was a mech who went by the name of Cliffjumper."

"Was he killed…?"

"For certain, I don't know. There was a city-wide detonation in the city of Iacon, one of the places on Cybertron. Cliffjumper was in there when the blasts went off, he didn't get out in time. But we didn't find his _body_ afterwards…so there is a chance that he survived," she paused and gave a heavy, saddened out-cycle, "or that the blast was powerful enough to completely obliterate him."

Out of that familiar sense of sympathy, Tessa placed a hand on the femme's metal of her leg, her eyes sheening with shared pain; imagining what that sort of loss must have felt like, "Don't say that 'Cee. What if he _did_ make it out."

"Then it would mean clinging to the hope of a reunion I am not likely to get. Believe me, Tessa…it's better that I continue to believe that he offline; dying a soldier's death. Because I can tell you honestly, that for a lone Sparkmate to cling to false hope…it can destroy us from the inside out. The pain of Cliff's death will never go away, and it doesn't fade…_ever_."

"How long ago…did he die?" Tess asked, trying to use the wording of a death, seeing as it was how Arcee preferred to think about it.

"Centuries ago; and the pain is always fresh. That's why it's just better to keep busy, and with this war going on that's not hard to do; it's a small mercy at least."

_Centuries_…Tessa replayed in her head, _Centuries, and the pain is always fresh_.

She felt bile rise in her throat as her stomach flip-flopped any which way it pleased, seemingly disregarding of the fact that she felt like the pits of Hell had just reached up and punched her through the chest; taking her heart with it.

She couldn't possibly do this to Optimus…she loved him so _much_…could she really be so selfish as to hurt him like that? Tess knew the answer to that even before she'd finished asking herself the question; absolutely not.

Placing a hand on Arcee again, she reached as far around the femme's leg as she could and hugged her; as well as physical differences allowed. "Thank you for telling me all this, Arcee…I appreciate this information more than you could know…"

_Even if it leads to me breaking my own heart…_

The femme gave a smile and nodded, "Any time, Tess."

"I should probably go…I have…something that I have to take care of." The mechanic said softly, feeling dread prickle up her spine just from the mere thought. Her heart ached, her stomach sank and her legs trembled with the very knowledge of what she had to do.

"Of course." Arcee said gently, "I have training with some of the human soldiers anyway. We're teaching some new recruits how to take down a Decepticon without Autobot aid; I think your brother will be joining them too."

With another brief goodbye and her thanks to the femme, Tessa waited until Arcee was out of her workshop before she turned and _ran_ towards the hangar she knew Optimus would be in. Her knees screamed painfully in objection, the muscles in her body spasming up in fear and stress. She felt like she was going to be sick, but after hearing Arcee's honest and unbiased information…after hearing the _pain_ in her voice when she talked about the loss of a Sparkmate…

There was no way that Tess would ever be selfish enough, ever be _cruel_ enough, to do that to a soul as gentle, magnificent and genuine as Optimus. Her chest swelled with love at the thought of him, and then clenched with guilt at what she needed to do.

Entering the hangar, she spotted him with Ratchet, a data file raised on the holoscreens located in his forearm, and she cleared her throat reluctantly, feeling like she was going to be sick just from the action of doing so. They turned to her and Tessa noticed the tension in the Prime's shoulders disappeared at the sight of her, clearly happy to see her.

_If only you knew what I was about to do to you…_she thought to herself, dread now snaking into the extremities of her fingertips as he stood at full height and approached her with a genuine expression on his faceplates, _Oh God…Optimus please forgive me for this…_

"Tessa." He said gently, lowering himself onto his haunches to view her with a fond expression.

"Optimus," she started, her voice cracking an octave as she tried to retain her composure, "can I…talk to you outside? In private?"

Concerned by the tone in her voice, Optimus turned and shared a confused look with Ratchet before returning his gaze to her, "Of course." He lowered his hand for her to climb onto, but to his surprise she placed a hand on his finger and shook her head, avoiding looking him in the eyes so that he wouldn't see her eyes watering.

"N-no, don't…don't carry me…just…outside, please…" She choked, savouring the feel of his metal digits under her palms, trying to memorize the texture of the scratches and grooves; the dents from war and labour.

Now he _was_ very much concerned, allowing her to lead him slowly outside and behind one of the less frequented hangars, used more for storage than anything else. He noticed her hands shaking, her heart rate well above normal and her eyes sheening with dampness that she didn't allow to fall. "Tessa…what is bothering you…?"

She rested her back heavily against the wall of the hangar, trying to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth in the hopes that the repetitive action would calm her, ready her for what she was about to say to him.

It didn't.

Hell, she didn't even _know_ what she was going to say! She hadn't rehearsed anything, hadn't thought of anything…how was she supposed to do this without dying of a heart attack first? Her calves were tensed, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and her chest prickled with resolute fear.

"I – I…" she felt herself floundering. Maybe she should just tell him that she wouldn't Sparkbond? That way they could go about the way that they were, and when she did die, Optimus would only mourn for a little while; and the he could move on without her…

She was interrupted from her frantic thoughts by the Prime crouching on his haunches, one massive hand braced to his side to support and balance his massive weight.

"Tessa…" he said gently, an endearing expression on his face, "…it's alright. Whatever is bothering you, you can _tell_ me. You can tell anything to me."

She caught a sob in her throat before it could escape, her heart absolutely breaking from the sincerity in his tone. No…she couldn't not Sparkbond with him…she _wanted_ to. She would not be able to fight what was a normal step in Cybertronian relationships; no matter how much she would tried to reason with herself or justify it; she eventually _would_ give in to herself and bond with him.

And then he would be trapped; forced to never be able to love anyone else other than a dead human, due to her own selfishness to have him in her life.

_Say something, Teresa_! She scolded herself harshly, _For the love of God __say__ something to him_! Her jaw was stiff from clenching her teeth, her ice-cold hands digging her own nails into her palm cruelly. What would she say? What _could_ she say? Wetting her lips and swallowing thickly, she tried to ignore the wrecking ball that was swinging back and forth inside her stomach; it felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Optimus…" she said timidly, frightenedly.

"Yes?" he coaxed, his tone so infinitely gentle that it made her want to fall into his grasp, kiss his face and say it was nothing to worry about…but she couldn't. He deserved better than that.

_Say it_.

"I…"

_Say it!_

"This is…I need to…"

_Teresa Cecily Jackson! He deserves better than to be hurt for the rest of his life! __SAY IT __to him!_

"We can't be together anymore."

The silence was deafening to her. It rang in her ears, even the wind didn't stir as her own words drove a knife through her heart. The deserted area of the base made for very little distraction as she stood stone still in front of him, not lifting her head to look at him.

"…What…?"

_Oh God_ she couldn't look at him, it would break her resolve and make her break down, sob and beg him to pretend that she hadn't said it at all…

"I…We…we can't be together. This isn't going to work between us anymore." She said unsteadily, looking at the concrete below her; which was suddenly _very_ interesting.

She heard a deep, unhappy rumble as he shifted, his tone clearly completely and utterly disbelieving of her statement.

"_Why_?"

She swallowed thickly, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to hug herself, to try and quell the horrible feeling in her chest as she felt her heart breaking. What could she tell him? He could see right through her when she lied…and this was _entirely_ lies…

"Because…" she whispered, trying to find something, _anything_ to say. She knew he'd see her lies, but she had to lie anyway; and not let him question her on it. It was for his own happiness, and she had always said that she would do anything to assure his happiness…

Even if it removed her from the picture completely.

"Be…because I…I just don't know if this is the right thing anymore…" she lied. The heavy, guilty words tasted like poison in her mouth.

There was another silence before she heard him sigh heavily, the out-cycle of air brushing the strands of her copper-brown hair further down to shield her already bowed head.

"Tessa…" he said gently, "I don't understand why…but you are lying to me…If there is something that has frightened or upset you…you can _tell_ me. You do not need to lie to me."

_Oh God…I have to make him believe me. He's already seeing through me…_

"Optimus it's…I just…"

Her brain was awhirl with sickening, saddened thoughts as she tried to grasp at something, _anything_ coherent to say. He could distinguish her lies, he knew her inside and out…he loved and adored her and would never do anything to hurt her. No matter what, he respected her; respected her thoughts and emotions, her feelings…

Her _feelings_!

Realization suddenly dawned on her, feeling like sinking into the earth and crying until she died as soon as she understood what her only option was. Optimus would never disrespect her feelings, or her wishes. He would never force her to do anything that she did not wish to. And that meant only one thing…

If he was ever going to let her go, she would need to break his heart…

_I have to lie…I have to lie, and he has to __believe__ me. This is the only way…Lie Tessa! You have to lie…and for once in your life it has to __count__!_

"No…Optimus this – this _can't_ go any further…"

_I'm so sorry, I'm so __sorry__, Optimus…_

A deep, authoritive rumble echoed from him, clearly he was getting frustrated with her now. "Tessa, _talk_ to me. I can help you through this; whatever it is."

_Lie. For his sake, Tessa…Oh God you have to lie like you __mean__ it!_

"It's…I…can't do…it's because…"

"_Tell_ me." He begged her, the feeling and emotion and sheer devotion in his voice made her actually sob as her own conscience attacked her thoughts, wanting to gag on the words that she was about to force out.  
><em>I hope I go to Hell for this…I love you so much Optimus…<em>

She opened her mouth, took a breath and looked up; staring him in the eye as tears started to stream from the corners of her eyes; her words burning like acid on her tongue.

_Please…please forgive me…._

"I…I'm not in love with you anymore."

**OH GOD I AM CRYING SO, SO MUCH RIGHT NOW! I'M SO SORRRRYYYYYYY!**

**This is the speed bump that I always planned for Optimus and Tessa to face…but I never imagined that writing it would be so hard…**

**Poor Optimus, what's he gonna say?**

**Poor Tessa, she loves him so much that she wants to protect him from an eternity of Spark-Break. WAAAHHH!**


	85. When The Balance Is Broken

**Okay…annoying, pain-in-the-ass ranting time.**

**Everyone; I know you're all freaking out about what's going on in the story right now. Please, stop saying that this is 'out of character' or that 'this isn't something Tessa would do'  
>Tess is selfless, and she has a very powerful empathy. When Magnus told her about the fracturing of a Spark when a Sparkmate dies, her only thought was that it would inevitably happen to Optimus when she died, and her empathy led to her imagining just how painfully awful that would be for him. <strong>

**She loves him enough to try and spare him from that. **

**OF COURSE she's wrong and being a total silly, but this is a bump in the road that she's going to have to realise as a mistake; she'll be forced to see some sense eventually. But miscommunications and mistakes ARE PART OF RELATIONSHIPS!**

**I think Optimus and Tess have been pretty gosh-darn spoilt with their love affair being wonderful, it's time for them to have some things to have to fight through together.  
>Please, PLEASE trust me guys. This was always a plan for the story; and I know what I'm doing with it. Have faith.<strong>

**In other news…**

**Most of the emotions that Tessa experiences in this chapter, are emotions that I personally am feeling right now; the feeling of loss and hurt, because of the situation with my sister running away. I apologize if there are any mistakes, because while I was writing Tessa's emotions, it struck close to home with my own current emotional pain; and it made me cry really badly.**

**But I think she's considering coming home…so I'm hoping things get better…**

**Have faith, everyone. Tessa and Optimus will be okay.**

**SO ENOUGH FREAKING OUT! :)**

Nothing.

There was absolutely nothing.

He did not say a word, her statement just hung in the air like some poisonous vapour; coating her lungs and weighing down on her chest. He had yet to move at all, even an _inch_…his optics had not shuttered at all yet either, he was just…blank. For a horrible, dreadful moment, Tessa feared that he had physically hurt him. But what could she possibly say to salvage the situation?

She couldn't fix it, because she could not tell him that it was going to be okay…every fibre of her being wanted to go to him, hold him, to reassure him that everything was alright and that she loved him with everything she had.

But she couldn't.

That path would lead to the Sparkbond that would bind him forever to her, allowing him to have no chance to find anyone to take her place. She would become all that he had, and when she was dead and gone, he would be alone. Always.

It was that fact alone that kept her from breaking down and telling him the truth; she had to stay strong in order to give him a life that he deserved…even if it would not ultimately be with her. Oh God even the mere thought broke her heart.

"…Optimus…?" she whispered softly, "…please…_say_ something…"

Finally, _finally_ he blinked. His optics appeared to come into focus once more, but to her despair there was still emptiness in them; vacancy… Shaking his head slowly, he stood up from his one legged kneel and slowly, sluggishly pulled himself to his full height; and even then his shoulders sagged slightly, his arms hanging uselessly at his sides.

_I'm going to __Hell__ for hurting him like this…_ she thought bitterly, _And I'll __deserve__ it._

"I…Optimus… I-"

He raised a finger to silence her, which she did so without hesitation; terrified of what she had done to him. But in a small way she was relieved, because she knew that pain like this was temporary…that one day, with time…he would get over this. He wasn't trapped. This was the only comfort she had, and she clung to it like a lifeline.

"Stop." He said, his voice sounding blunt and a little harsher than he meant it to. He wanted to ask her why, to try and _understand_…but he found himself replaying a conversation they had had over a year ago, about how humans sometimes just…'fell out of love' with each other.

Was that all this was?

She had gotten enough of him, and was casting him aside? No…he could not think like that, his Tessa was not so heartless. His Tessa…? She was not _his_ Tessa any more… A sharp pain struck through his chest at the sudden realization, and he became confused. He had seen thousands of deaths, lost _hundreds_ of his friends and comrades. So why did the very thought of losing her, one person, _hurt_ so much…? He thought back to not days before, when he had given her the necklace to protect her signature, talked to her, had her confide in him…He'd held her in the sleeper cabin with the Holoform and told her how much he loved her, and vice-versa…had she simply been playing along to find the right time to tell him she did not want to be with him? Primus, he'd asked her to Sparkbond with him; such an intense move of trust, a step towards a future that he wished to share with _her_, to grow with her!

He felt like a fool…

Every memory he had shared with her played through his perfect-recall processor, every touch and scent. He remembered every soft glance, every loving embrace; every passionate night and every tender kiss…how had she turned on those in such an instant…?

There had to be a reason…it didn't make any _sense_. Tessa was a good person, honest and not someone who would harbour any form of deceitful nature. If she had been 'out of love' for any length of time, she would not have strung him along like some Decepticon carcass. Which was what confused him all the more…how could something like this occur so suddenly…? Looking at the situation logically, trying to sift through the emotions that were rattling his Spark, he decided that there was more to this than what she was telling him; the agony in her face told him that much.

If she did not love him, she would not be in so much distress for hurting him.

He watched as tears dropped from her amber eyes, looking up at him with an expression of terror and anguish, her shoulders trembling in an effort to keep herself upright. _No_, he decided, _she is hiding something…and I will find it eventually_…

He was broken from his logic process as she gave a choking, gasped sob. She had dropped her head into her hands and he watched her shoulders shake. Optimus felt the impulse to comfort her, the natural response he would normally give her…but he was _angry_ with her, in a way. He still loved her, _Primus_ that would never change, but what she had said cut him deeper than any enemy's blade; and whether he believed her statement or not it was still painful to hear the one he loved say they no longer held affection for him. He would find out what was behind this, but for now he needed to be alone and process what it was that had happened.

Tessa looked up from her hands and took a step towards him, reaching out to place a hand on his foot. "O…Optimus I–"

She was startled to silence as he moved his foot, taking a step back from her touch. If she strained her ears, she was positive that she would be able to hear to sound of her own heart breaking. Optimus' tone was low and calm as he spoke, and it killed her with the pain that was beneath it.

"Don't."

There is was again, that searing, painful sensation burning and bubbling in the pit of her stomach like poison lava. Tears stung the corners of her eyes, carving salty ravines down her cheekbones as she wet her lips to speak, her voice cracking with the desire to just scream or cry, or both. "I'm so sorry…" she breathed in a whimper.

She looked up, barely daring to meet his hurt, angry gaze in return. She found herself thinking that even if he _hated_ her, she could live with herself knowing that she had done the right thing for him. That she had done everything she could to make sure he would not suffer for the rest of his life.

That didn't mean it would be _easy_ to live with herself, just that she could.

Tess watched him look down at her intensely, their eyes burned into one another before he shuttered his optics and shook his head slowly, "I need to go." He said deeply, his voice expertly level with years of diplomatic practice; hiding his true hurt, "Ratchet requires my aid."

Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and walked away before she could say a word. His steps were slow, but purposeful as he made his way back to the medical hangar that she had pulled him from before turning his world upside down. What hurt the most was that look of complete and utter _betrayal_ that he had cast upon her before leaving…it left a massive hole in her chest as though someone had torn out her ribcage and left her bleeding.

As his form finally disappeared into the hangar, without even looking back at her, she finally let out a despairing, anguished sob. Tears streamed down her cheeks and soaked into the neckline of her jumpsuit as she slammed her back up against the hangar wall, wracked sobs curdling violently through her whole frame. Her knees buckled from the stress, her hands and feet prickling with a horrible feeling of dread. Sliding down against the wall to sit on the concrete floor, she wrapped her arms around her knees and _screamed_ into them, her sobs and cries muffled by her self-embrace.

Her whole body trembled and she felt like she was going to be sick. She would never, ever for as long as she lived, forget the look on his face when those damning words left her lips. Those venomous, _lying_ words that were so far from the truth…Her fingers tightened around herself as she broke into another round of painful, chest-aching sobs and for the first time in a long while Optimus Prime was not there to wipe her tears away; and it was her own fault. In her eyes, she deserved to be on the ground crying alone, hurting because of what she was putting him through. She had never before understood the saying of 'if you love someone, let them go' because throughout her whole life she had kept her loved ones close. But now, she understood. She loved Optimus enough not to condemn him to an eternity of mourning, of lonely sorrow. All her life she had empathised with people, imagining how things would feel to others; and this was no different.

"I love you…" she whispered to herself, muffling sob through her teeth as she buried her head in her arms, "I love you so much, Chief…Oh God, I'm so _sorry_…"

She found herself praying for a small mercy, that his pain would not last long…if she was lucky maybe his hurt would turn to hate, and then he would never want to see her again. At least Optimus being angry would stop him from missing her, from hurting over her. But she herself would never stop feeling this pain; she had hurt him and it would never end for her, because _she_ would always be in love with him. No-one else on earth knew her inside and out the way he did, loved her like he had.

No human would ever compare.

With a heavy, shuddering breath, she got to her feet, having to momentarily use the hangar wall as a brace to keep her upright; her knees felt weak and unsupportive. With clenched, trembling fists, she smacked her head back against the wall and gave a wail, feeling her heart splitting in two as she remembered the tone in his voice as he had backed away from her. Taking a few more deep, shaking breaths, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and sat on one of the crates beside the hangar, letting out her anguish where nobody would see her.

0-0-0-0-0

Ratchet heard the hangar door slide open again, and without looking up from his holoscreen he addressed the Prime; easily recognizing his commander's footsteps.

"Well, now that your lady has borrowed some of your time, if you can help me with-" Ratchet stopped short upon glancing over, seeing the leader walking rather dazedly past him; almost blankly. His tone immediately dropped to one of concern. "…Optimus?"

There was a crash as Optimus moved to brace himself on the medical counter, accidentally leaning on a datapad that the medic had propped there, the metal piece falling to the floor with a loud, ringing clatter. The noise seemed to snap him out of his revere and he shook his head to clear his mind, noticing the pad on the ground.

"I apologize for that, old friend." He said slowly, reaching for the board and placing it back on the counter. Clearly he was trying to remain composed, but Ratchet wasn't buying it. He knew Prime far too well to consider this normal behaviour; even a lapse in concentration as severe as this was uncharacteristic.

"What in the name of Primus happened?" he asked seriously, deactivating his holoscreen graphs and approaching the Autobot leader.

Optimus cycled out a heavy take of air before firmly bracing both of his massive hands on the counter, his optics focused intensely on absolutely nothing. The medic would be lying if he claimed this behaviour did not concern him; this was not like Optimus at all, it was not like him to just _shut down_. But as the leader spoke, it suddenly made sense as to why…

"Tessa…has discontinued our relationship…"

There was a tense, awkward moment of silence as the CMO processed what it was that Optimus had said, before he actually managed to reply through his shock.

"What-?" he shook his head and looked tensely at his friend, "But that…Optimus that makes no _sense_! I've seen the way that she acts around you; nothing has ever indicated the wish to _discard_ you. Did she say _why_?"

Another long silence, heavier this time as the Peterbilt replayed the words in his head, still stung by them every time, despite his doubts about their authenticity. "That she was no longer in love with me."

The med-bot scoffed – literally _scoffed_ – at the statement, shaking his head in somewhat horrified amusement. "And you believe that?"

"No."

Ratchet exhaled heavily through the vents in his chest before clapping a hand to Optimus' arm. "Then why are you looking like a Decepticon has just buffed out your paint job?" he said bluntly, his optics narrowed into a stern expression.

Optimus could not help but play the event in his mind again. Every detail was so clear…the tone of her voice, the sheen of her tears; the evident conflict within herself as she finally pulled herself together enough to tell him that _she didn't love him_. Logically, he knew that there was something missing, a piece of the puzzle that was off; but his feelings were in the back of his mind, being gutted every time he replayed the scene over. Certainly, he did not entirely believe what she was stating, but that didn't mean it wasn't painful to hear; painful to think 'what if it _is_ the truth?'. If she truly did feel nothing for him any longer, then he would oblige if that was what she wished; he would never force her to stay in a situation that made her unhappy. He loved her enough for that.

"What if what she says…is truly how she feels…? If she is truly no longer in love with me-"

"-Slag and _nonsense_, Optimus." Ratchet cut in sharply, clipping him on the arm with the resounding 'ping' of metal hitting metal, "I haven't seen a human on Earth as of yet that loves _anyone_ more than Tessa loves you. Don't buy in to what it feels like, Prime. You have led us by your instinct more times than I can count, and we've pulled through every time. Humans have a saying that I think you need to remember, Optimus. Follow your _gut_. If Tessa's proclamation is out of character – which in my opinion it sorely is – then something is off. There's got to be a reason that she's not telling you something."

At Ratchet's logical, no-nonsense words, Optimus felt his Spark settle a little; even if it was _only_ a little. The argument made sense; Tessa was not one to perform such harsh spontaneity, especially if it were to involve hurting those around her. It just wasn't her character. The medic was right, there had to be something that she was not telling, something that she was hiding.

_What are you keeping from me, my Tessa…?_ He thought to himself, trying desperately to file through his memory banks; hoping to find some sort of clue as to what had brought about the situation.

But there was nothing.

"Do you think…Decepticons, perhaps?" he said finally, "Is there any way that they could be threatening her…? Perhaps she wishes to cut ties to assure herself of some safety…"

That seemed like a very valid reasoning, after all Tessa was not as strong or physically capable as a Cybertronian; she could very easily be put into danger…maybe there was a chance that the run in with a real Decepticon had finally sunk in. He would not blame her for being terrified; Primus, even _he_ remembered his very first run in with a Decepticon at the beginning of the war. He'd almost lost the fight by trying to _reason_ with it; having still seen Decepticons as logical, reasonable Cybertronians.

He had been so wrong, and nearly lost his life because of it.

"No," Ratchet said finally, "I know how Tessa feels about running away. She wouldn't turn away like that; and if she _was_ afraid enough to want out, she would do so honestly. She wouldn't create false excuses to hide behind; she may not be a physically s_trong_ human but she's not a coward, Prime. I'll grant her that. You know that if she was afraid to be involved in the cause, she would say so."

Optimus gave a heavy, hissing exhale and nodded, "You raise a fine point, old friend…she has insisted many times that she will not become a weak link in the chain…"

Ratchet gave a gruff noise from his processor as he continued to try and find a plausible theory behind their mechanic's action, "Perhaps it _is_ Decepticons that are the cause though…what if they're using her as a threat to get to you? Perhaps she's convinced that _she_ is your weakness… After all, Prime, if they got their hands on her…I…in all honesty I worry for how far you would go to save her. I would not judge you on this, you are perfectly deserving of happiness; but _any_ leader with a lover must exercise caution in regard to their mate's safety. Maybe they've managed a threat on you, with her as bait…?"

Optimus near cringed at the thought of her being used as a threat, but he knew that it would not be the case; it was physically impossible.

"Ratchet, she has not been off base at all since the incident with the Decepticon scout. And before then, they were completely unaware of her; even locating my signature on her would have been a complete moment of luck and timing. She has not been in danger of contact…"

Picking up a datapad, the yellow CMO activated it and began to absently continue his work, the main focus of his attention being on helping Optimus with the situation. He was wracking his processor trying to find a logical reason behind this, but they truly did not have enough information yet; nor was he sure quite _how_ to get more.

"Well, the fact of the matter is that whatever her reasons are behind this; you're being clear-headed enough to know that she's hiding something. If I were you, I wouldn't believe for a _nanosecond_ that her feelings toward you had changed; it just doesn't fit."

"I know." The Prime said, feeling a little more relieved now that Ratchet had managed to talk him down from the reeling sensation of irrational emotional pain. And the medic was not the type to sugar-coat _anything_; he would give him an honest and genuine – if not blunt – opinion on any situation. "Thank you, Ratchet."

The Hummer bot shrugged vaguely, brushing off the thanks as only he could, "Any idea on how you're going to handle this, Prime?"

"…I am not entirely sure…" he said levelly, "But if she is in fact lying to me about this, then I plan to find out _why_."


	86. Falling Apart

**Hope you guys enjoy this one; it's always fun to write chapter with Aaron in them. **

**Not really a whole lot to say on this one really; I'm not going to be stretching this arc on for very long because a) I don't like when Chief and Tessa fight, and b) I WANT TO FREAKING GET TO THE DARK OF THE MOON ARC ALREADY!  
>Also, a million and one thanks to all you wonderful reviewersreaders who have been giving me support with what's been happening with my sister.  
>My love to you all! xxx<strong>

**Enjoy.**

"Damn, Mag!" Aaron drawled snarkily, "How in th' Hell'd ya get so many damn branches under yer belly? Feels like I been pickin' 'em out fer hours!"

The truck gave a rather amused scoffing sound as the trucker straightened up and cracked his back, having been pulling brush and leaves from the rig's undercarriage. "You were the one insisting on joining the off-road terrain training. The bad driving was your error, I'm afraid my friend; not mine."

With a mockingly annoyed sound, Aaron kicked the tyre of the truck none-too-softly as he bared his teeth, "Oh yeah? Well yer nothing' but a fuckin' _smartass_, bud."

A noise that sounded very much like a smirk rumbled from the trucks grill as Aaron walked around to the front of the truck and knelt to pick up the soap bucket that he was going to use to wash the freight vehicle. However as he did so, the Mack rolled forward a little and bumped the trucker, pushing him into a stumble. The water in the bucket sloshed around and splashed him in the face, causing him to growl in half amusement – half annoyance. He whirled around with a cranky expression to glare at the grill of his truck, soapy, bubbly water dribbling off his chin. Magnus kept his poker face as he spoke; an action that was considerably easy given that in alt mode he did not _have_ facial expression.

"Oops."

Az growled and tossed the sponge at his Cybertronian companion before tightening his hold on the bucket, preparing to start threatening him. "Yer gonna pay fer that, shithead-"

His words were cut off though as he heard a choke from a ways across the tarmac and he turned to see Tessa, stumbling and making her way towards him. One of her hands was clenched over her heart as though someone had shot her and the other was wrapped around her ribs in a one armed hug. Her steps were slow and unsteady, appearing as though her entire frame was trembling; but it was the rivers of tears streaming down her face that caused worry to rip through him.

"Tessie!" he called to her, dropping the bucket and running to her, catching her in an embrace just as her knees buckled. Magnus watched from a distance, enhancing his audio receptors to pick up the conversation. He didn't want to interrupt, choosing to allow Aaron to help his sibling; but he was personally concerned for his Prime's mate. She had seemed particularly distraught since their conversation the day before, and he would be lying if he said that her current behaviour worried him as to what might possibly have occurred since then.

She was a good person and he didn't want her to be in any form of trouble.

Secretly, though…he dreaded it might have something to do with their conversation…

"Tessie!" Aaron repeated, holding her tightly against his chest to support her, feeling her slacken in his arms a little bit, "What the _hell_? What's 'appened?"

She sniffled pathetically as she wrapped an arm around the back of him, her other hand still clenched over her heart in the hopes of easing the shattering pain within it. "I–" her voice cracked and she broke down into sobs, feeling conflictingly safe within her brother's arms, "I left Optimus…"

The trucker's eyes visibly widened in genuine disbelief and surprise at the statement; never in his life had her seen Tess happier than she had been with the Autobot leader. "What? Tessie, _why_?"

In response, she shook her head violently and buried her face into his chest, sobs wracking her form as he felt her nails dig into the strong musculature on his back. "It's – it- I did it for _him_." She wailed, breathing in sharply through her teeth as her voice pitched into a desperate, keening cry. "I love him so much…"

Feeling his heart twist at what was evidently a very extreme conflict, he tightened his thick arms around her and held her against his chest in a crushing embrace, his face pressed into his hair as he shushed; trying to soothe her. "It's okay, Tessie…Let it out…" he heard her sob against him in response, her tears were soaking his shirt but he didn't care, "Tell me. Tell me what's got ya int' this. Come on, 's okay…"

"It – it's _not_ okay." She whispered, "I have to do this… I have to protect him…"

At her words, Aaron pulled himself back to look at her, bracing his hands shoulders and separating them a fraction, "Protect him? Tessie…If someone's threatenin' him-? Or threatenin' _you_-?"

"-No!" she said quickly, shaking her head to try and clear her tears from her vision; they were blurring her vision and making it difficult to see, "_I'm_ the threat! _I'm_ the danger!"

He stopped in his train of thought, suddenly genuinely stumped by her statement. He took a moment to compose himself to answer her; meanwhile Ultra Magnus was listening with a feeling of growing dread in the pit of his fuel tanks. He suspected where this was going, even though he vainly hope it _wouldn't_…

"I don' understand…?"

Her crying took a few minutes to subside, trying to gain a little composure so that she could tell him without sobbing like a child; she felt so _horrible_ coming to burden him with this, but Aaron was her brother; he'd been her best friend before she'd even known what _best friend_ even meant. She trusted him, and wanted to confide in _someone_; it made sense for it to be him. He was family.

"Optimus –" she sucked in a breath heavily and continued, "Cybertronians do this thing called Sparkbonding…It's like – kind of like tying souls together…the partners become a part of…each other…"

Aaron nodded, wiping a streaked tear off her cheek, "Yeah? Go on."

Her shoulders shook heavily and her shuddered another breath, clenching her heart again; tighter this time as she continued, "Being in… a _relationship_, we would have done that…but Sparkbonding is literally binding themselves to someone…_forever_; which means that once one of them dies, the other never heals…they can _never_ love anyone else."

"Tessie, I don' see what this'd 'ave ta do with Optimus…? Wouldn't 'at make it…I dunno…_better_ fer y'to be together? Lovin' just each other?"

"Aaron, he's _Cybertronian_!" she exclaimed with a choke.

"So?"

A sob broke through her recomposing façade as she pressed her forehead to his broad chest, her shoulders trembling with the weight of her new, self-inflicted burden. "I'll die before him…and he'll be alone for as long as he lives…"

The trucker was silent for a minute, not understanding the implications of what she was trying to say; but then comprehension whacked him in the face like a stick.

"…Oh."

She was silent for a moment before she whimpered against his chest, "Exactly…"

He cradled her in a tight squeeze and held her like that for a few moments before he pulled back to meet her teary gaze. "But…If yer boyfriend's anythin' like what I think 'e is…He ain't gonna just…_let_ ya break up with 'im fer that. What'd the capt'n 'ave to say about the Sparkbondin' thing?"

"…I didn't say anything about it."

"O…kay…? Then 'ow in blind trucker's Hell'd ya get 'im to agree to breakin' up? He ain't about to jus' _let ya go_ like that!"

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes again, brimming over as she remember the way the bot she loved had turned and walked away, to hurt and betrayed to look back at her even once; she would never forget it for as long as she lived. "I told him…that I wasn't in love with him anymore…"

"Bull_shit_!" he hissed, holding her at arm's length as his eyes narrowed in disbelief, "Tessie…Ya didn't?"  
>"I did…" she whispered shamefully.<p>

Ultra Magnus, who had been reluctantly listening on the conversation with enhanced audio, felt his Spark near drop to the depths of the Pit itself. This was all his fault…_he_ had been the one who had foolishly assumed that she knew the details and risks of Sparkbonding, he had been the one to fill her in when he realized that she didn't know everything about it; and now she had done something so selflessly _foolish_ as to cut herself off completely from the Prime?

He had to fix this! He had to tell Prime! He had to–

_"Don't…please don't tell Optimus…." …. "He can't know that you've told me this…Just…let me figure this out…"_

His processor was onslaught with the memory of the tiny human femme's plea; to make him swear not to tell Optimus Prime about what she had found out…He had given her his word…

Ultra Magnus _never_ went back on his word.

Unfortunately though…this meant that he was duty-bound to keep that promise; Primus, how was he going to fix this? Optimus must surely be in turmoil right now…but he was bound by his promise to not reveal anything to him.

"Teresa Jackson, yer an _idiot_!" Aaron said bluntly, looking down at his little sister with a stern expression.

She flinched like he'd just struck her and looked up at him in shock. "Wh…what?"

He gave an exasperated growl and deepened his tone, trying to get her to see some sense. "How's this doin' _either_ of ya any good?"

"Because," she snapped at him, her tears giving way to offended anger, "_this_ way he can wait for someone that will last forever! I love him, Aaron; I can't lie to myself about that, I love him more than _anything_! And it's because of that that I can't stay with him, because no matter how much or how long I try to resist, I will want to Sparkbond with him…And then he'll be bound to me for as long as he's alive; which could be _thousands_ of years, Az…maybe even forever. I can't _condemn_ him like that!"

He released her from his grip and grasped his hands into his hair, clutching the amber locks harshly. He could only imagine what Optimus was doing right now, how he was feeling. Even though Tess was a terrible liar on the best of days, Aaron knew that her intentions themselves, were NOT a lie. Which meant that as long as Tessa focused on what wasn't a lie…she stood a small chance of making it believable. He just hoped that maybe he could help her fix this…it wasn't right; there had to be a way for them to work through this. Reaching down, he grasped one hand firmly into her hair and cradled the back of her head tightly. He bent his head and planted a kiss on her forehead, right on the widow's peak of her hairline; something he used to do when she was little, when she's come and hog his bed in the middle of the night after having scary dreams.

"Come on, we're goin' to talk to Optimus 'bout this-"

"-NO!" she exclaimed, pulling herself back from his grip with an angry expression, "No, we're not."

The trucker gave a heavy sigh as he pressed a hand to his temple, feeling a headache coming on, "Ya can't _do_ somethin' like this t' the poor guy Tessie! Lyin' to 'im ain't the right thing fer– "

"Jesus Christ, Aaron! You fucking think I _want_ to do this to him?" she cried angrily, "If there were any other way – If there was any way for me to _resist_ Sparkbonding with him, I wouldn't need to do things this way! I _want_ to have him love me for the rest of my life; I want to love him for the rest of _his_! But he's eternal, Aaron; I'm _not_ –" Her voice cracked into a sob as she reaffirmed that fact to herself, feeling her heart breaking in the knowledge of it.

Her brother gritted his teeth at her argument, seeing her side…but knowing it still wasn't right… "Tessie, ya need to tell 'im…"

"No." she said firmly, borderline glaring at him, "You don't say anything to Optimus about this. Not a _word_!"

"Tess-"

"PROMISE me!" she hissed, feeling tears slide down her cheeks once more in burning trails, "You won't say anything to him."

His chest heaved with the effort it took to not slap her upside the head and tell her to stop being stupid. But he was her brother…she trusted him to keep his words, to not fail her when she needed him. A deep, heavy breath escaped him as she watched his massive hands clench into fists; the muscles in his forearms strained and visible from the physical tension of clenching them.

"Fine." He practically _spat_ out to her, "I won't say anything to him."

He studied her face intently, knowing from the myriad of expressions and openness that she knew what she asked of him was wrong; she hated to feel so underhanded and secretive…but she had to keep reassuring herself that this was the only way things could be done. The only way that Optimus had a chance to be free, she could never live with herself knowing that she had trapped him for the eternity after she was gone.

She was suddenly snapped out of her turmoil as Aaron huffed and pulled her into a rough, clasping bear hug before he planted a kiss on the top of her head and let her go, heading towards the truck.

"Aaron-?" she choked worriedly, "What…what are you doing?"

He paused in his steps, taking a deep breath before he turned to look her in the eyes from across the small distance of tarmac that he'd walked. "Fer a drive. This don't _feel_ right, Tessie; it's not th' right thing."

"Maybe not…" she agreed, her voice still shaky with unreleased sobs, "…but it's the only way…"

He shook his head dismissively, "I can't let ya be so fuckin' _stupid_ about this-"

"Aaron, you _promised_ you weren't going to tell him–!"

"DAMN IT TESS! I _told_ ya I wasn't gonna tell Optimus! I won't! But I'm going fer a drive, I don' agree with what yer doin' and I gotta clear my 'ead. Go to th' barracks and get some sleep or somethin' would ya? I'm…not on yer side with this. I'll _support_ ya, Tessie…but I ain't on yer side fer it. I'll see ya later."

She felt a hiccupping choke escape her chest and she streamed into tears as he started walking again. "I love you, Az." She said hopefully.

"Love ya too." He replied automatically, "Go on, get outta 'ere."

With a nod to herself, Tess cradled her arms around her and turned toward the direction of the barracks, astounded by how exhausted the emotional stress had made her in just a matter of hours. She needed sleep…but she had a feeling that it wasn't going to come easily to her.

Meanwhile, Aaron reached Magnus and exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples before addressing his friend.

"Ya heard all 'at, bud?"

The freight liner was silent for a very long moment, contemplating his words before speaking up. "I did…" he paused once more, trying to find the best way to say what was plaguing him, "I think…that this turn of events may have been my doing…"

Aaron turned to look at the grill of the truck, the bucket of soapy water from moments ago was forgotten now in the wake of the events that had just transpired. "Huh? Yer fault? How?"

"I'm afraid that I made the assumption that she and Prime had _already_ joined in a Sparkbond…and I told her my concerns for Prime when she was to die, about the Spark Fracture that he would sustain upon her death…as it turned out…I was mistaken, and now she feels the need to avoid Optimus completely for what she seems to believe is his own good…"

Aaron placed a hand on the side of the massive vehicle before opening the driver's side door and hauling himself up into the familiar cabin of the truck. "I dunno, Mag…maybe 'was better she found out before'and…rather than after her an' the capt'n had tied 'emselves a knot…"

"But…look at what I have _done_ to them…"

"Ay!" the trucker snapped harshly, thumping the dashboard aggressively, knowing full well that it wouldn't actually really _do_ anything to the massive Autobot, "Knock it off would'ya? It ain't yer _fault_. I betcha any amount o' money that she'd 'ave been doubly upset at not findin' out at all before. What we gotta do for 'em though…is damage control."

Ultra Magnus was silent as Aaron started the engine and expertly manoeuvred the massive semi off the tarmac towards the exit of base. It was still mid-afternoon, so the sun was still up; but Aaron had no doubt that the stress of the day would probably have Tessa in bed and asleep easily, provided that her over-thinking didn't keep her awake.

"…What do you mean by…damage control?" the Autobot asked finally, genuinely curious if not a little bit hopeful as to what solutions his human comrade might have up his sleeve.

Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel thoughtfully, the amber haired man finally reached into the pocket of his jeans and fished out his cellphone, "What I mean, is that I'm gonna try and _fix_ this. Even if Tessie don't want me to. Take th' wheel fer a sec, would'ya? I don't need ya chewing my ass fer makin' phone calls while I'm drivin'."

Obediently, control was relinquished to the truck as Aaron dialled a number, but Magnus chanced a question before the man hit the 'dial' button. "So…you are going to break you word to her? About Prime?"

Aaron shook his head firmly, "Nah, 'course not. But I promised 'er that I ain't gonna tell _Optimus_. I don' need'a go straight to th' source to do damage control, bud; she didn't say nothin' about not tellin' _anyone_."

Ultra Magnus was astounded by the way Aaron was not unwilling to exploit loopholes; he was going to keep his word but find a way to defy Tessa's orders on a technicality. It was not…underhanded…but it WAS very clever of him. What sort of plan could Aaron possibly have in mind that Tessa could not reprimand him for disobedience?

He saw the human hit dial on the phone, speaking to the truck while it rang, "Once I'm done with this call, I'm gonna give a directions; there's somewhere we gotta go fer an important discussion."

Magnus made an affirmative noise, actually keenly intrigued to know his friend's plan as the phone rung several time. A masculine voice on the other end was detectable when it answered, and in response Aaron gave a rather informal greeting, asking if they were busy. The other male's chatter on the end of the phone evidently replied with no, because Aaron nodded in a somewhat pleased manner.  
>"Good, I'm on m' way there right now. Tessie's done somethin' that I plan t' fix."<p>

More garbled chatter that Optimus couldn't quite make out.

"Nah, I'll tell ya when I get there; s'a lot to explain over th' phone."

When the voice answered to this, Magnus was sure he heard something along the lines of 'how long?' in there somewhere.

"Yeah, 'bout 20 minutes. See ya soon."

The trucker nodded to himself as the voice spoke very briefly, obviously a farewell of some kind; because Aaron appeared to be ending the brief conversation as well. He gave Ultra Magnus a thumbs up in the rear-view mirror and mouthed 'keep driving' to him casually. As Aaron ended the conversation, Magnus found himself wondering who it was that was going to be helping the human with the 'damage control' and he was given an answer just before his friend hung up the cellphone.

"Be there soon." Aaron said, "Bye Dad."

**Oh Aaron…you sneaky boy, you!**


	87. Cat and Mouse

**Okay, so my sister has decided that she isn't coming home now…  
>You know what, I'm fucking SICK of being a yo-yo. She treats my family like we're the enemy, and that we've been the most horrible people in the world to her. <strong>

**We have cared for her since the day she was born, and loved her more than anything. And now she's so selfish as to cast us aside.**

**Well I'm done being taken on an emotional roller coaster. She was my best friend in the world, and I loved her so, so much…**

**Now I don't have the energy to bother.**

**I love her too much to hate her, but I hate her too much to love her.**

**On happier news, NEW CHAPTER OMG YAY!**

**So it's been a few days since Aaron visited Daddy with his news…let's see what happens eh?  
>Hehehehe. Enjoy, my lovelies!<strong>

It had been three days.

Three long and painful days; for both Optimus _and_ Tessa.

She had been cleared as safe to leave the base, a fact for which she was somewhat glad, because every time she caught sight of Optimus, he was looking at her with narrowed; focused eyes; as though trying to find the lie in her story.

And she was afraid that he _would_ find it.

It pained her to be anywhere near him, especially knowing that he deliberately would make an excuse to leave the room whenever she entered, or make himself busy to avoid speaking to her; she'd tried apologizing only once to try and ease his pain even just a fraction. The lookn he had given her had chilled her to the bone, especially when he had said to her "_I am not blind_" before turning and leaving.

Oh, he knew perfectly well that she was hiding something, but as of yet he had not had any luck in ascertaining why or what. Whatever the game, she was clearly playing the cards close to her chest; even Ironhide and Sideswipe who were Tessa's two closest Autobot companions, had not been able provide him any inkling or clues. It was frustration in its very worst of forms.

With her clearance to return home, Tessa was able to return home in the evenings now; something that she was thankful for given the now incredibly awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere at the N.E.S.T base. She was washing dishes, having just made an entire meal, and then not been hungry from all the knots in her stomach. She'd eaten a handful of Skittles instead, and even they felt like too much. Ignoring the feeling of constant hurt that was chewing away at her stomach, she rinsed one of the pots she'd used to cook in and placed it in the strainer; the lighting from the kitchen bulb catching on the chrome of the sink.

The same way that sunlight caught on the grill of a certain Peterbilt…

There was a sharp, almost stabbing sensation in her heart as she felt tears prickling in the corner of her eyes; the familiar tears carving a trail down her cheeks. To think that something as simple as being reminded of _him_…would break her down.

With a heavy, cracking sob, she dropped to the kitchen floor, her back rested against the cupboards with her hands slack by her sides; the green dishwashing gloves still on her hands. She didn't even bother to wipe the tears away, she just screamed out her anguish, her jaw aching from crying, her chest burning with regret. There was nothing she could do, no way to stop it…the tears just kept coming, and she let them.

Even if only temporary, it made her feel better.

With an angry sob, she smacked the back of her head against the cupboard she was rested on, feeling a slight pain shoot through her skull to the back of her eyes as she did so.

_Good_, she thought, _I fucking deserve it._

Tess eventually lost track of the time, because by the time she stood up to shakily hold herself against the traitorous shiny sink, the water in the basin was cold. Draining the sink, she decided to do the dishes later on…she really didn't have the strength or the mind for it. This was killing her from the inside out; being around Optimus and not being able to smile at him, kiss him, _talk_ to him; even simply being in the same room as him made her want to run into his embrace and tell him she never meant a word. But it was too late for that, she couldn't ruin what she was trying to do for him…no matter how much it hurt.

There was only one way to fix her desire to go back to him…

Tossing the dish gloves onto the counter, she slowly left the kitchen and pulled out her beastly laptop; yanking in open and thumping it down on the dining room table. Opening up a word document, she took a deep breath, did a Google search on an appropriate template, and began to type something. Her heart was heavy as she did so, the feeling of dread growing in her stomach at the knowledge of what it was that she was going to do with this letter.

"I'm sorry, Chief…" she whispered.

0-0-0-0-0

Lennox had been sipping a coffee when he heard Tess enter the room.

He was in the communications office going over some paperwork of the newer recruits; some of them had managed to injure themselves on the off-road terrain training a few days prior, and he'd been filling out the remainders of the military medical reports.

"Hi, Will…" she said quietly.

Just the tone in her voice made him worry; he was aware of she and Optimus being 'separated' but was uninformed of the details as was everyone, it seemed. Even the Autobots seemed in the dark for the most part; with the exception of Ratchet, and he suspected that Sideswipe and Ironhide probably knew too but he was not 100 percent sure on it.

"Hi Tess." Lennox smiled, offering her an arm for a one-sided hug which was the best he could offer at present, "What brings you in here?"

He noticed the shift on her feet, shuffling the weight nervously as she rubbed her neck nervously, "I…needed to talk to you about something…_professionally_."

The soldier was genuinely surprised by the request, but gestured to the chair opposite the desk he was working at. He hated paperwork, and if pressed he would probably admit that he was grateful for the distraction; he was a man of the field, not some high collar behind a desk. "Sure thing. What's on your mind?"

With a heavy sigh, she sat in the creaky metal chair in front of him and let her head loll back for a moment; clearly trying to collect her thoughts, "You're aware of…Optimus and me…right?" she said quietly, still staring at the roof.

He leaned across the desk with his arms folded, clearly this was important; and he gave her his full attention, "Yeah. You wouldn't give me specifics…and neither would he."

"I doubt that he would." She said matter-of-factly, "It's not really…something that either of us would discuss…How has he been?"

Lennox gave a gruff sigh and pressed his fingers to his forehead, obviously not really wanting to give her the answer for fear that it would worry her. "He's been…not like himself. I mean…he _is_ still himself, but it's like there's something off."

"Off…? Off how?" she asked, genuinely concerned; she didn't want this to be any harder on him than she'd already made it.

"Well, he's less social, for one. I mean, unless it's something to do with a Decepticon raid, or a medical issue with Ratch…he doesn't really stick around, I think he's just trying to deal with this alone; you know what he's like with bearing burdens."

Her eyes downcast themselves as he looked at her, noticing how her entire posture tensed at the gaze, "Yeah…he does everything he can to make this better for others…at his own expense…" she looked up at him, reaching into her duffel bag and pulling out a few A4 pages of paper that were stapled together and stored in a clear plastic sleeve, "I don't want anyone to let him close himself up like that…he needs people there, so much more than they realize."

She pushed the plastic folder over the table and he gave her a confused expression, not moving to take it yet. There was something in her eyes that was infinitely sad…broken even; and for the first time ever he was unable to read her. Tessa had always been so easy to guess, her emotions were so blatant and obvious; and she could never lie to cover them up. But right now, her face was blank…almost _void_ in a way; it was an eerie expression to see on one as bubbly and open as Tessa.

"You've got to promise me that you'll make sure he gets through this…that he recovers. I don't want any more suffering for him." She said gently.

"Tess…what's going on? What _is_ this?"

Lennox noticed a single, solitary tear – only one, no more – slide down her cheek as she pushed it towards him again, causing him to open it and look to her for an answer before he would read it. She took in a deep breath and rested her head in her hands on the desk before mumbling out a response to his question.

"It's my letter of resignation."

0-0-0-0-0

"…Resignation…?" Optimus said vacantly, staring at Lennox with unseeing optics. The soldier was up on the raised catwalk with the letter in his hand; looking at it with concern and slight scrutiny.

"Yeah…she just came and put it on my desk. Only a week's notice, I guess she's hoping that Mikaela can pick up the slack…she's about due back from that repair job in California…maybe we can ask her if she knew anything about this whole situation…maybe Tess confided in her…"

"I have already tried to ask her about that," Ratchet said suddenly, stepping in beside Prime, "She doesn't know a thing about it; Tess said nothing to her."

Lennox nodded with a perturbed 'hm' before flicking through the papers mumbling to himself. "Conflict of interest…grateful for the opportunity…all the best for future candidates…blah, blah, blah…" he put them onto the bench next to him and looked up at the Prime, who appeared to have been greatly disturbed by the news of Tessa's notice to quit, "Something just doesn't add up here…what did you two even _break up_ over? Both of you are so…sad over this; break ups are supposed to be angry and resentful, but you two are…_pining_."

Ratchet looked at his leader, who was clearly in no position to converse appropriately enough to answer questions, and seeing as there was nobody in the hangar aside from the three of them, he decided to inform Lennox of the truth.

"Tessa's termination of the relationship was apparently because she was no longer in love with Optimus. But we know that she's lying about it, there's clearly more to it than that."

Optimus shook his head slowly and turned to Ratchet, "Perhaps we were wrong…old friend. What if her loss in affection…truly _is_ her reason…?"

The medic gave an audible, mechanical scoff at his leader, actually slapping him on the back firmly; the sound of metal crashed on metal and jolted the Prime out of the daze. "You're a slagging _idiot_, Prime. No offence. I can guarantee you that Tessa has lost no affection for you at all."

"…I don't understand…how?" At Prime's concerned tone, the CMO gave another scoff; this one far more exasperated. Honestly did he look like a Cybertronian therapist? He was a medic for Pit sake, he dealt with twisted metal and broken glass; not dented feelings and broken hearts! But Prime was truly one of his oldest and dearest friends; despite what he would say about the latter, and his Spark truly went out to him. Optimus had never suffer the turmoil of a 'break-up' like this, so it was only natural for it to hit him hard.

"Optimus, you _glitch_," he barked, "-she hasn't had your scent removed. She hasn't even _asked_ about it. She has your signature and I can guarantee she _knows_ it. The way she fiddles with that Pit-forsaken pendant you gave her, she _wants_ the mark, Prime. Don't for a nanosecond let her make you think that she doesn't."

Lennox cleared his throat, making the two Autobots turn to him. "If I can interject something here, when Tess was talking about you, big guy...it didn't sound like someone who wasn't in love, let me tell you. She sounded…lost. I don't know what she could _possibly_ gain from pulling a stunt like this…but from what I know of Tess, I'm guessing that she has the best of intentions…"

"Well…best of intentions or not," Ratchet said, "we're still going to get to the bottom of this. Tessa is my friend, and a fantastic student. I don't want to see either of them hurt."

Optimus gave a heavy, venting exhalation as he pressed both hands onto the walkway railing, lowering his head and bracing his form against the catwalk; something akin to a human trying to crack their back. The wires in his shoulders and back-strut were tense with stress, and he had no doubt that they were probably tangled from the excess voltage that said stress produced. His entire form ached, and he would be lying if he claimed that it was entirely because of emotions. His Spark ached for _Tessa_; it wanted to feel her safely in his grasp, to shower her with affections and love. There was even an underlay of physical want for her; it was only natural considering their open status as sexual partners, as a _man_ he was craving her.

To kiss her, hold her…love her.

A sharp buzz suddenly sounded in the gear of his finial; a brief beeping that signified a contact. Curious, he assessed the signal before opening the link, because for all he knew it could have been a Decepticon. Analysing the signal through his firewalls, he realized that it was a text message from a human cell phone; sent directly to him…

**Optimus, it's Phil. Had a worrying visit from Aaron about what happened with Tess. Need to talk to you urgent, come to the farm. Don't tell Tess.**

His optics widened as he noted the wording of the message. It seemed that Tessa had in fact confided in her brother…probably in the same manner that he had confided in Ratchet. Looking up from his 'stretch' position, he turned to his two companions and gestured to his finial gear with a contemplative expression. "I just received a message from Tessa's father…saying that he wished to speak to me…"

Lennox looked up with a concerned look, scratching the back of his neck in a confused manner. "Maybe she's said something to him…about what's happened; I don't know…maybe he's angry…?"

Optimus shook his head firmly, assuredly. "No, I don't think that that is the case. I don't believe that Tess knows…he asked me not to tell her; he said that he wanted me to go to his home, urgently."

There was a long contemplative silence between them all as they considered the possible reasons behind this unusual turn of events. Optimus had openly informed them of Phil Jackson…disapproval of Tessa's activities in an alien war. He'd never disrespected Optimus about it, or personally…but it had always been easy to see that the man was uncomfortable with the giant robot being his daughter's lover, and that was something Optimus fully understood and respected. Which was why his sudden direct contact now…was certainly _surprising_. Finally though, Ratchet spoke.

"Go." He said firmly, "Maybe Tess told that brother of hers something that he passed on to the father. It may be the only lead we have as to why she's caused this whole mess…"

"I agree with Ratchet," Lennox interjected, "…there's got to be more to this than she's letting on. Hurting people isn't _like_ her."

With a nod, Optimus gave a heavy exhale, "Very well…I will see if I can find out any useful information…It does not _sit_ well that she is lying to me…"

Without another word, he transformed into his alt mode and left the base as fast as the tyres would carry him.

The trip to the farm was a long one, roughly an hour or two from the base itself. The drive there gave him time to think, though. Not only about what Phil Jackson might perhaps have to say to him, but about Tessa. She had invaded his every thought within the last few days, that dull numbness not having left his frame since the day she spoke those words…

_"I…I'm not in love with you anymore."_

Ugh…the mere memory of them cut through him like a blade. Even Megatron demolishing his Spark hadn't hurt this much, and that had _killed_ him…

The thoughts of her, the desire to discover what she was hiding; had distracted him so many times, invaded his processor with memories. The way she smelled, that beautiful mix of constant grease and polish; the sound of her voice when she laughed or scolded…that glow of her cheekbones when he would whisper promises into her ear of genuine love, or remind her of nights that he'd seen her like no other man ever would.

A slight tremble rolled up the frame as he remembered the first and only stasis flux that he'd ever had. The human equivalent of a dream; although more along the lines of a nightmare… He had been with her, himself; but her size. Like the Cybertronian Holoform. He had been mapping her body, his hands tracing familiar crevices and slopes over her skin, feeling her skin beneath his fingertips; her lips on his throat.  
><em>Primus<em> he still loved her so, so much.

The dream had reinstated his love, the emotions and physical desires that he held for no other but her; and then she had disappeared. In a cloud of Holoform-like electrical pulses she had vanished, leaving his chest feeling empty and void; his hands grasping at nothingness in an almost desperate attempt to retrieve what was not there.

And then he had woken up, remembering that she had left him.

As the farm came into view he tried to push back the feeling of loss, of aching desire that the memory of the dream had left in its wake. The late afternoon/early evening sun was casting an ethereal glow over the property; the grass lush and green given the recent winter/spring months and it looked quite lovely. Flowers were blooming in the fields past the house and he suddenly felt a sense of closeness to Tess here; comforted in the fact that this place was a connection to her.

Rolling up into the gravel parking lot out the front of the house and activating the Holoform, he spotted Phil and Nora's St Bernard, Boof, lying asleep on the porch. Evidently he was getting deafer in his old age, because he did not hear the footfalls of the Holoform's boots until he stepped up onto the veranda. Perking up from his nap, the dog looked up at the tall human for a second before giving a deep, gruff bark. That was followed by a loud, low howl; like that of a good tracker dog who'd found something important.

Optimus was wary of how the dog would react to him, having not seen the animal an e_xcessive_ number of times, but evidently the old hound did remember him; because Boof snuffled his nose into the leg of the Prime's jeans and nudged him with the top of his head, demanding to be petted by the familiar smelling man.

With a calming smile, Optimus felt his Spark melt; finding a surprising amount of comfort in being accepted by the animal. He felt so lacking in acceptance lately, that it was nice to feel it again. He dropped to a knee, wrapping a hand around to the back of the dog's neck and scratching him under the collar with his Holoform's fingernails. The mutt gave a happy, groaning whine and started to kick his leg, tongue lolling heavily to one side.

"Hello Optimus."

The Prime looked up in slight surprise at the sound of Phil's voice, who had obviously heard the dog's howl upon the Cybertronian's arrival. Giving the dog a gentle pet, Optimus then got to his feet and nodded his head respectfully to the man in front of him. "Sir."

He crossed his arms and gave a heavy sigh, clearly not sure about where to start. He looked down at Boof, who had by now happily rolled onto his back to go back to sleep. Optimus looked in the same direction, unable to resist an endearing smile from tugging at his lips. Turning back to the human, he decided to give him somewhere to start.

"You said that you wished to speak to me…?"

Phil nodded. "I did, son. Aaron was here a few days ago, said that Tess had broken up with you?"

"Yes."

The two men maintained eye contact for a moment, before Phil pressed a hand to the bridge of his nose and gave a heavy sigh. Clearly he was conflicted about something, and as he straightened his posture, Optimus saw him glance over at the Peterbilt in front of the house.

"Look…you know I'm not…entirely '_with_' this whole alien troupe thing…" Optimus barely managed to resist the urge to smile as he watched Phil use his fingers for quotation of the word 'with' because the man was not generally so _animated_ when talking, but he ignored the will to laugh and let the man continue, "But I have to be honest…Knowing that _this_," he gestured to the Holoform, "isn't really the _real_ you…I think I need to say it to your face. Your real face, son."

Optimus paused for a moment, "…You want me to retain bipedal form?" he looked around briefly, concerned with confidentiality, "I know that your property is large…but your neighbouring residents-?"

"-Trust me, son. They're acres away. They won't see you; besides this is important, and I do want to tell you to your face."

Optimus nodded, "Very well."

The Holoform dissipated into a flurry of electrical spark, something that still startled Phil, despite having seen it a few times before. The sound of the Peterbilt moving and whirring as the gears and parts shifted into place startled him a little too; he wasn't around these…_Autobots_ all the time, so he was still cautious of them. And as Optimus Prime's massive, magnificent form stood towered over his house; the human couldn't help but feel insignificant by comparison, and a little bit blessed. The fact that this alien being could easily crush tiny beings like himself, but was merciful enough not to; showed a level of compassion that reminded him that they were not so different. The gentleness of Prime's nature only reaffirmed what he was going to talk to the man about.

"This…I feel _strange_ asking this, but let's go for a walk around the property." He said awkwardly whilst rubbing the back of his neck; a nervous habit Tessa had obviously inherited from him. Optimus gave a nod and lowered himself to one knee, cupping a hand to the veranda step for Phil to settle on.

"I won't allow you to fall, I promise."

To his surprise, despite the human's shaky step onto the offered palm, one he had grip of Optimus' thumb he looked up at him with a genuine and sincere expression, "I know that, son. Despite my speculative standing on the whole alien situation, I do trust you."

As they headed across the property slowly, Optimus finally brought up what was really bothering him. "What did Aaron say to you…? Did Tessa confide in him?"

"Well of course she did. He's her brother, Optimus; and I think she's been enjoying having him around on base. He said that…Tessa told you she wasn't in love with you; is that how it happened?"

"Yes." Optimus replied honestly, surprised by how much repeating it still hurt, "But I suspect that she is lying…for whatever reason I am not sure, but I believe there is more to it than she is telling."

Phil cleared his throat, tightening his hold on the thumb of the robot's hand before he gave a nod, "I'm going to let you know, right off the bat…Your gut instinct is right." The Autobot's steps paused and he looked at the human in shock, obviously genuinely surprised that his suspicions had been _correct_. His Spark was at risk of singing, and he wanted confirmation before it decided to do so.

"She loves you, Optimus. There's just no way she doesn't. Aaron said she was breaking down saying how much she loved you and how it was for your own good."

"…My own _good_? If her feelings remain the same, then how can doing this be good…for _either_ of us…?"

"I thought that too, and Az was quite confused by it; but that truck of his, Extra Magnesium something-"

"-Ultra Magnus?"

"-Yeah, him." He agreed, shifting a little to try and find a comfortable way to sit. If he was honest with himself, sitting on board a giant robots hand was not going to do any favours for his back; but this was a necessary conversation that he truly _did_ want to have with the leader face to face. "He said that he and Tess had a conversation a few days ago about some Sparkbonding thing? Aaron said it was a permanent fixture thing, that you two'd be bound forever or something?"

"Yes…" Optimus suddenly felt something between uneasiness and relief flood through him. Surely there was some logical explanation now? "What else did he say?"

"Well that Magnus fella seems to have thought that you two have already done that. But apparently you haven't. He said that he voiced his worries to her about what would happen to you once Tessie…died."

_Oh no_…he thought with a mild panic, _Surely not – ?_

"Anyway, apparently he told her about some fracture or break or something in that energy centre of yours, about it being there forever after she dies and that you'll never love again, as in _ever_...he said she seemed to freak out and told him not to say anything to you about the conversation. From what I can gather, son…she seems to think that you doing that bonding thing…will trap you."

The dread in his Spark sank right into his fuel lines, chilling his extremities in worry. "Oh no…She…she is doing this to prevent me from…being alone…" _Oh Tessa, what have you done…I should have known…_ She would never do something like this out of selfishness; she wasn't that sort of person.

Phil nodded thoughtfully, still clinging nervously to the Autobot's hand. "Magnus seemed really bothered by it, because he wanted to tell you; but he'd given Tessie his word that he'd let her deal with it, but I don't think he was aware of the entire situation. Can I just…say something here, Optimus?"

"Of course." He said welcomingly, desperate for an opinion of this new revelation.

Tessa had never been 'out of love' with him…she'd been trying to cut herself off from him so that he would not Sparkbond with her. Not because she didn't want to, but because she did not want him suffering for the rest of his existence. His Spark felt it would fracture just _knowing_ that she loved him enough to do so. Phil clearing his throat brought Optimus back to reality. The sun had slipped past the horizon now, leaving a purple twilight across the sky as the human spoke.

"I don't know much about this…eternity of being bound…but I admit, the idea of my Tessie being loved by someone who's going to be loyal right to the death…makes me feel safe for her. But I don't want to know that you'll be suffering over that…forever is a long time, son. You even sure that you can live with that?"

Optimus' chassis made a pained whine at the thought; sounding almost like a cry to the human in his hands. "What I am suffering now, is a worse feeling than any Sparkbreak could compare to. To have her there…and know that I _cannot_ be with her…aches so much more…"

"Then, if you love her enough to go through that, Optimus…" Phil gave a heavy breath in before exhaling and looking the Autobot right in the eyes, those glowing, non-human eyes. "…then you have my full, and complete blessing as my son-in-law."

Optimus was literally stunned silent for a moment, unable to believe what he had just heard. "Sir…?"

"You heard me. If living without her now is worse than living without her forever, then go and get her. Don't let her push you back. I know Tessie, if she thinks she's protecting you, she'll do whatever she can to do what she thinks is right. But this is helping nobody; it's just hurting you both. Go. And. _Get_. Her."

His Spark crackled aggressively in agreement, and in a nanosecond Optimus knew that it was the right thing. He could live with eternity, knowing that he spent her whole life making her happy. It would be hard to live without her, but with the memories of a wonderful life together…he would have it no other way. He needed her…he needed her _so much_; he couldn't let her slip through his fingers now, or he would never catch her again. Making his way back to the house, the Autobot very gently and carefully placed the man on the ground, Boof barking and wagging his tail at the massive 32 foot alien; evidently hoping for more pats. Phil laughed at this and looked up at his daughter's lover.

"You're the right choice for her Optimus. I've never seen her as happy as when she's been with you. If this is right to you, then don't let her go or you'll both regret it."

With a nod, Optimus transformed back into the Peterbilt, the engine rumbling heavily with a newfound vigour; he would fix Tessa's mistake, show her just how wrong her choice was; despite her best of intentions. She would be off duty at this time of night now, and he needed to go and talk some sense into her.  
>"Phillip." He rumbled deeply from the grill, causing the human to look into the headlights as the Autobot's voice dropped to a grateful breath, "…<em>Thank you<em>."

He smiled warmly, thumping the front of the truck. "You're welcome, Optimus."

With that, he reversed out of the driveway and took off down the gravel, makeshift road towards the main highway that would take him to where he needed to go. The truck's wheels practically flew over the bitumen when he hit the main road, his Spark thrumming with reaffirmed love and certainty. He knew the problem, and now he was going to fix it.

His destination: Tessa's home.


	88. Justify

**I would like to give my infinite thanks to all of you who have been supporting me with wonderful messages in regards to the situation with my sister. I assure you, I read every single one and it makes me feel so much better.**

**All my love to you, guys; this chapter is for you :)**

**Enjoy.**

Tessa stared at her dinner with an unbelievable amount of disinterested scrutiny, her features knitted into an annoyed scowl as though being angry at her food could make her feel better. She didn't even want to eat it; she wasn't _hungry_.

Softening her feature, she sighed heavily and pushed it across the dining table, resting her head in her arms sluggishly. She just didn't have the energy for anything, even the light-hearted Disney movie she'd put on hadn't made her feel any better. It was still playing in the background, and she wasn't even listening to it; she didn't have the concentration. Memories of her resignation earlier that day were still playing through her head, she'd refused to elaborate to Lennox on her reasons, other than she thought that 'professionally it was time to move on' and even that was a total fucking _lie_.

Did pain like this ever stop; the dark numbness that ached in the cavity of her chest; nestled somewhere between her heart and her ribs? It was tearing her up and it made her feel emotionally volatile.

She'd already cried from being reminded of Optimus by the stupid sink, then in the garage when she'd gone to retrieve a light bulb for the kitchen; the smell of motor oil and metal had resulted in her breaking down into tears on the kitchen step. Then when she'd had a shower just before cooking dinner, the body soap that she went to use turned out to be the same one she'd used on Optimus the night she'd shown him how humans showered…in rather intimate detail.

With an angry huff, she picked up her plate of spaghetti and made her way to the kitchen; preparing to throw it into the trash. But as she looked at the plate in her hand, it suddenly became the source of all her problems; it was irrational and stupid, but she felt an anguished and confused urge to just _break_ something. Over her stupidity, her pain; over everything that she was doing to Optimus in her desire to keep him safe from a fate that he would have selflessly condemned himself to. Her lips pulled back over her gums and bared her teeth, a loud, violent s_cream_ escaping her as she threw the ceramic dish against the wall; the sound of smashing and breaking actually feeling satisfying. She didn't cry, it felt like she had no tears left anyway; just a writhing, void feeling of _hurt_ deep within the pit of her chest.

The spaghetti stained the wall, the plate shattered and shards of it scattered on the linoleum floor. The landlord would probably ask about the stain…but she didn't _care_. It hurt too much to care at all. She turned away from the mess and braced her hands on the kitchen counter, hands clenching into fists as her shoulders tensed. Beneath her braced arms was a set of grooves in the counter, where Optimus' Holoform had dug marks into the bench with his fingernails; a reminder of the first night they'd ever had sex. She felt her chest clench at the memory, she loved him so, so much…she had to keep reminding herself why she was doing this; to see the bigger picture. She couldn't be so selfish as to just let him trap himself to her like this, because she knew that if she had told him the truth…he'd have dismissed her concerns and told her not to worry, because that was the sort of man he was; completely and utterly selfless…

A sudden banging at her door startled her back to reality, a loud and _insistent_ banging.

Lifting her head and tensing her shoulders, she momentarily checked the microwave for the time; wondering who would possibly be visiting her at this time. _8:30_…she thought to herself, _Maybe it's Az…_

She didn't really feel like being social right now, her brother had already given her enough lectures on the wrongness in her decision too many times for her to count. He stuck by his word about not telling Optimus, but that didn't mean that he had to like it; and he'd made his opinion very clear to her. Yeah…she sort of _really_ hoped it wasn't Aaron coming to give her another scolding, she was already beating herself up well enough on her own.

As she reached the door, she took a deep breath and tried to steel herself for company, making sure to try and keep her emotions in check. She'd just have to tell them that she couldn't talk right now, after all she couldn't have anyone in the house after she'd freaked out and smashed a full plate of pasta in her kitchen. Unlocking the door, she turned the handle and pulled it open with a squeak of rusty hinges.

Then her blood ran cold.

"O – Optimus?" she gasped, genuinely shocked to see the human Holoform at the door, his glowing eyes clearly visible in the darkness of the night, "What…what are you _doing_ here?"

The Holoform was dressed in dark jeans and a navy blue t-shirt with long maroon sleeves underneath; his hair was mussed and dishevelled, indicating a certain level of stress. His stubble was a little thicker than usual and there were tired lines beneath his eyes, he looked about as tired and exhausted as she felt.

"You and I have something to discuss." He said matter-of-factly.

She knew that tone. It was the one he used when Ironhide stepped out of line, or he wanted the Twins to stop fighting, or when he demanded attention; a tone that could stand every Autobot to attention and send Decepticons running. He was using the tone of a leader...on her; as if to leave no room for debate.

Trying to quell her nerves, she steeled her expression and shook her head insistently. "There's nothing left to discuss, Optimus. It's over."

"Not without valid reason." The Holoform rumbled sternly, his expression impassive and calm; not at all aggressive or angry, "And right now, there isn't one."

"I told you already," she said, her voice unable to hide a slight tremor. _Oh God_ it would take so little to break her right now; the only thing she wanted to do was fall into his arms and cry. She had to keep saying to herself that this was the right thing to do, "I'm…I…I'm not- in love with you."

A heavy sigh escaped him, closing his eyes to do so before he looked up at her with those gleaming orbs, "You're lying." He said simply, the tone not in any way being a question; like he _knew_. HOW would he? That was…impossible.

"N- _no_, I'm not!" she exclaimed, far too defensive for it to be at all believable. She could feel her ability to lie about it slipping away; like he was tearing away the false layers and exposing the truth without her being able to stop it. She had to make him leave before she couldn't protect him, "Go away."

He took a step towards her, his demeanour not one of intimidation, just certainty. "You are _lying_, Tessa. I know you are."

"I – I…" she stammered desperately for something to say, unable to come up with anything that she could say with conviction. Instead, she tried to knit her expression into a scowl and glare at him; something that was hardly intimidating given that there were now tears in the corner of her eyes, "I said _go away_!"

She then made a move to slam the door on him, but she gasped in shock when it simply bounced back without closing; his steel-capped boot was parked in the archway of her door to prevent her closing it. She looked up at him with the expression of a terrified rabbit, watching warily as his right palm grabbed the door, pushing it open a little bit. His gaze was genuinely gentle, but _intense_; so intense that she felt like her knees would collapse if he didn't blink soon. He ran the Holoform's tongue over his lips to relieve the dryness before he spoke in a low rumble that reverberated up his chest.

"Aaron told your father." He growled, "I was informed of _everything_."

Her eyes visibly widened and she made a sharp intake of air as her grip on the door before trying to regain a composure of some kind, to feed him the lie. But it was useless, she knew that; he had already seen through her.

"N – No! Whatever you heard from him…it was- it…it was a lie! I- I _told_ you I don't…I don't _love_ you!"

The door was pushed from her grip and she took a few steps back, knowing in the back of her mind that her very attitude proved that she was the guilty party in this, there was no way he believed her; she was a terrible liar to begin with and as Optimus closed the door behind him without moving his gaze from her, she knew he knew that too.  
>She was backed up against the wall, and his arms boxed her in; his large hands braced against either side of her shoulders. His intense, neon gaze was focused on her, his face inches away from her as he lowered his voice to a rumbling, baritone hiss.<p>

"_Liar_."

Her heart sunk into her stomach at his swift retribution; there was no questioning or doubt in his voice, he already knew. The Holoform's hands slid closer so that his wrists were touching her shoulders, his eyes burning into hers.

"Look at me." he rumbled, "Look me in the eye and _lie_ to me."

She was breathless. Broken and breathless. Tess couldn't lie even in the most ideal situations, but with him so close to her, boxing her in and seeing everything of her in the closest proximity…there was no way she stood a chance. How could she, when she loved him so, so much? Her eyes squeezed shut in anguish as the tears she thought were used up began to _flood_ to the surface. Her forehead was pressed against his as she cried, her eyes sealed shut as if to pretend that she was alone, that she could cry without him seeing; her shoulders shook and her knees trembled with exhaustion.

She couldn't lie to his face like this. She couldn't.

Her sobs were cut off as she felt lips on hers; the Holoform's hands springing from the walls to grip her face in them, his body bowing against hers to feel her proximity. She whimpered against his mouth as her sobs shook her body again; she finally felt that familiar safety in his arms, the sensation of his arms around her and her fingers in his hair.

Her _fingers_ in his _hair_.

Oh God, it was too much…out of pure instinct they wound into the dishevelled, blue-black locks and twisting clumps of it between the lithe digits and pulling him deeper into her mouth. There was a dampness against her face, and she realized they were tears; but they were not her own. The lashes of the Holoform's eyes, although closed, were clumped with moisture as he clutched her, held her; _kissed_ her.

He was _crying_…because of _her_. She felt her chest seize with guilt, and in retaliation she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her with a muffled sound of desperation. She had missed him so much, how could she do this to him? How could she live with herself?

Then recollection and memory hit her like a pile of bricks, the whole _reason_ she had done this to him…to protect him. Separating their lips reluctantly, she sobbed again, "Stop…" she begged, "Stop…I can't."

She felt his fingers tighten around her, his forehead pressing to hers warmly, "Why…?" he whispered to her, "What was the point of all this…?"

Her chest ached, knowing he was referring to the last few days of distance and lies, of the pain that she had caused the both of them…Over the Sparkbonding that he seemed to have somehow found out about.

"I have to protect you…" she choked, "…you can't spend forever alone…"

The bridge of his nose nuzzled into the arch of her brow as he sighed heavily, "I will not be alone…I have you."

"_Damn it_, Optimus!" she snapped, suddenly shoving him back so that he could see her fully, "Don't you understand? If you Sparkbond with me, then _that's it_! No more second chance at love for you! Once I'm gone you'll never love anyone else! You'll have a fracture in your Spark and you'll never be able to heal it."

"Perhaps _you_ don't understand, Tessa!" he barked at her, his hands clenching into fists to try and ignore the ache he had to bury them into her hair and kiss her again, "I will _never_ love anyone else!"

She shook her head and sobbed, "Yes you will." She said desperately, trying to console him, "Of course you will! You'll be able to find someone who last forever with you, and then you can-"

"_No_." he growled, taking a step forward as his eyes burned into her seriously, "You misunderstand. It is not that I _cannot_ choose to love another, Tessa; it is that I _will not_." He closed the gap between them and took her wrist in his hand, lifting it and pressing her palm to his chest; right where the Holoform's Spark resided. He pressed into her so that she was wedged between his body and the wall, her hand still pressed to his Spark. His face lowered to within inches of her, his lips tickling her ear as he spoke in a bare whisper.

"Do you feel that, Tessa? Can you _feel_ it?"

Closing her eyes as a tear escaped her, she nodded against his shoulder, her spine trembling as he spoke again in a baritone growl.

"_It beats for you_."

His words rung in her ears, vibrating shockwaves through her very bones, and she felt the last wall of her resolve crumble beneath the magnitude; she couldn't fight him…

"I love you…" she sobbed, her fingers tightening into the fabric on his chest, her other hand snaking up his back to imbed into the muscles of his shoulders, "…but I can't live with hurting you like that…"

"Living like _this_," he said desperately, "with you so close but never within reach…would ache a thousand times more than any Spark fracture." His arms snaked around her waist and pressed her against him as he planted a deep, desperate kiss to her neck, "I will have your whole lifespan to love with you…do not steal it from me…"

Tessa whimpered against him, all but defeated, "But how will you live without your Sparkmate…?" she whispered, barely above a breadth.

"With a lifetime of memories to relive." He rumbled firmly, "My Spark belongs to you; whether you take it or not. If not by bond, I will be alone by choice when you are gone…I will allow _no other_ to stand where you have stood."

"…I love you…" she repeated with a whimpered exhale, "I love you so much…"

His lips slid down her neck to her shoulder as his right hand traced the hem of her shirt, "Show me," he whispered desperately against her, "I need you…_please_."

She understood his request, and her stomach flip-flopped at the sound of him begging her. He had never sounded so _pained_ with a need, like he was physically suffering from lack of her body. Although, she would be lying if she said she hadn't felt it too in his absence. As they made their way to her room, hardly separating their mouths along the way, she felt an incredible sense of relief as the door opened beneath her fingers and she led him inside; hearing him close it behind them.

His kisses suddenly became much more fervent, desperate and passionate as he slid his hands up the back of her shirt, pressing her towards the bed as his lips enveloped hers. She shuffled onto the mattress as he followed her; and she was surprised to find that he actually grabbed her hips and placed her in his lap, propping her up so that he could kiss her better. His hands fumbled for the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head, giving a clearly frustrated sound when he was forced to separate their mouths to accomplish the task.

He planted his lips on her collarbone, his tongue dragging against the hollow of her throat before she felt an unusual pressure as he began to gently suck at the skin there. She could feel his need, the desperation for comfort and reassurances. His desire saturated the air, and it wouldn't be a lie to say that hers probably did too. She had missed the warmth of his body, his innocent touches and his entire presence; both mechanical and Holoform.

She gave a gasp as his fingers slid beneath the sleeping bra she was wearing and palmed the slope of her breast, his tongue tracing the clavicle of her throat. She was unable to cover the gasping moan from his touch and her fingers laced up into his hair affectionately.

"You're so…_ah_…eager…" she breathed, another gasp escaping her as his free hand took the small of her back and pressed her closer against his body. His voice was a desperate, liquid rumbled against her throat.

"I have ached for you…" he confessed in a whisper, causing her skin to break out in goose bumps from his exhalation.

The statement both broke her heart and made it sing, because she was reminded of the pain that she had probably caused him over the last few days, but at the same time she was comforted by the fact that he had still been so in love as to _want_ her. Lifting her hands to the back of his shirt, she lifted it and pulled it over his head, sealing his lips in a kiss as it disappeared in a cloud of spark pulses; completely ignoring it. She wrapped her legs around his hips and traced her fingers up his arms slowly, lightly before finally kneading them into his shoulders; feeling the balled up tension in the musculature. His unkempt stubble scratched her face roughly, making a scraping sound; and she found herself enjoying the feel of it against her skin. Touching her tongue to the corner of his mouth, she slid her fingers from his shoulders down over his pectorals, tracing the ligature of his abdomen before fiddling with the clasp of his jeans.

Their desperation to get each other both out of their offending clothes was hurried and sloppy, neither of them wished to spend time on foreplay; they had needed each other for too long to take their time. Their only thought was each other, the satisfaction and reaffirmation of being partners. It certainly didn't take long for the two of them to be bare before each other, the familiarity of the situation all too real.

Crawling over her, Optimus planted kisses from her stomach, up to each of her breasts, on her neck and finally up to recapture her lips greedily. His right hand snaked itself to the small of her back, sliding down over the skin of her bottom and down the back of her thigh to hook his hand in behind her knee; gently lifting it a little to separate her legs. She gasped and separated their lips briefly at the feeling of him pressed against her but he quickly enveloped them once more with his, desperate for her taste. He growled her name against her lips as he slid himself inside her, a feeling of relief flooding his body knowing that she was still, in every sense of the word, _his_.

Rhythm picked up quickly between them, with Tessa latching her legs around his hips and encouraging his body deeper with every time he moved inside her. His fingers traced her skin, mapping it like it was the first time he'd ever experienced it before; her nails sliding up into his hair to stroke his scalp in reassurance.

The release was so powerful that it was almost tangible; and Tessa found herself opening her mouth in a soundless scream as she came with him. Once the trembling bliss began to ebb and fade, she noticed something damp touch her cheek and she lifted her fingers shakily to touch it.

It was water.

Glancing up, she saw the Holoform, still braced over her body as he breathed heavily. Brimming in the edges of his eyes were visible tears, some of which had been the ones to touch her cheeks. She hadn't even know that Holoforms were _capable_ of crying…but evidently they could, and it broke her heart to see. He made no sound, no sobs or cries…just silent, personally suffered tears.

Tess lifted herself and wrapped an arm around his torso, pulling him down to rest atop her as she squeezed him tightly in an embrace. "Tell me…" she whispered, "…please…"  
>She felt his arms encircle her as he pulled out of her body with a disappointed sound and turned them so that he could lie with her tucked tightly against his chest. "…Do not ever do something like this to me again, Tessa…" he whispered hoarsely, his voice sounding more like a plead than an order, "I cannot bear the thought of you running from me…"<p>

She held him closer at his words, burying her face into his chest, "…I was trying to protect you…" she whimpered, feeling infinitely grateful when he clutched her tighter.

"I know…" he murmured, "but such suffering benefits nobody…I can not lose you _this_ way."

"I promise…" Tess breathed, planting a kiss between his pectoral muscles before trailing them to his throat, sucking gently at it the way he had with hers; but unlike his, she left a deliberate mark in the knowledge that it would vanish when the Holoform did. "I'm yours…_Chief_."

The sense of relief overwhelmed the Autobot leader, his chest humming in contentment at having the source of its affection back once more. There were no words to express how much love was within his very being right now; the thought of her dying without giving him the chance to provide her with a happy life pained him greatly. He knew that she would only live for so long, she was human and she would have to die eventually; but to have the chance to _live_ that life with her, would be worth every second, and _that_ he could deal with when the time came.

Until then, everything he needed was in his arms at that very moment…

**Ready? Ready?  
>Aaaaaaaawwwwwwwww!<strong>

**Just to let you guys know, that little review button down there makes me super-duper ecstatically happy. So just remember to keep that in mind:**

**The longer the reviews, the faster I shall write for you! Love and hugs xxx**


	89. Still Worth Fighting For

**YAAAAAY! The horrid break-up is ovveeerrrrr. For the most part any way, now it's just a matter of dealing with trust issues.**

**WARNING, THERE IS A LEMON IN THIS CHAPTER.**

**I wasn't **_**going**_** to put one in, but for some reason Optimus and Tessa just seemed to keep pulling it in that direction. I think because I made them wait for so long; they're probably both just danging for it ;P**

**The lemon is supposed to be a form of reassurance to themselves; to make themselves believe that they are truly reconciled; because let's face it, Optimus probably fears Tessa would try it again, and Tessa probably fears he'll drop her for that exact reason.**

**Love makes you irrational and illogical. Anyhow, enjooooooyyyyy!**

**P.S. I would like to thank Amanda for inspiring the chapter title. She made a banner on the fanpage with reference to the song 'Still Worth Fighting For' by My Darkest Day. It fit perfectly for the chapter, so thank you darlin! x**

When Tessa stirred the next morning, she found herself tangled in her sheets and for a moment she felt the heaviness in her heart that had resided there for the last few days since her 'break up' with Optimus.

…Then the previous night hit her like a tonne of bricks.

Her skin tingled with the memory of his touches; of the uncharacteristic desperation he had shown towards claiming her and reassuring himself that she was still willing to have him. Her chest ached with the knowledge of how much she had hurt him, and somehow he still had the love to forgive her, to accept her.

She felt a little bit undeserving, in all honesty.

Curling her body into the centre of the mattress, she could hear rain outside; one of the first decent heavy rainfalls since the start of the cooler seasons. She felt a slight chill tingle her skin as she realized that she was still completely naked; having fallen asleep in the arms of the Holoform after their rather…_impromptu_ lovemaking session. Her heart skipped a beat and she was unable to hide a grateful smile at the memory of it. As much as she wanted to protect him…she wouldn't have had the strength to leave him a second time, even lying to him _once_ had been hard enough.

The Holoform was not in her room, and she suspected that he had probably needed to go back to base while she had slept, but the sound of ceramic clinking together made her start in surprise. Glancing out of her bedroom window she realized that the Peterbilt had in fact not left her driveway.

_He's still here_, she realized. Reaching into her drawers and pulling out some clean underwear, she dressed herself in a pair of baggy cotton yoga pants and an oversized t-shirt and quietly padded her way to where the noise was originating. Optimus' Holoform was in her kitchen, picking up shards of ceramic and placing them into the trash. He was fully dressed and appearing much less dishevelled than the day before; clearly the Holoform had been deleted overnight and reset in the morning.

_The broken plate_! She remembered, suddenly having the recollection of the full plate of spaghetti that she had thrown at the wall; the pasta sauce still stained the wallpaper. Entering the kitchen, she put a hand on his shoulder and knelt down beside him to take the shards out of his hand.

"Chief…" she murmured gently, "…don't. You don't need to clean this up."

He looked at the shattered fragments on the floor and the lump of cold, messy spaghetti that was slumped against the wall. His brows furrowed in confusion as he turned to face her, lacing a hand into the hair at the nape of her neck as he looked at her intensely. She had very nearly forgotten just how much that _look_ made her knees weak.

"What happened…?" he asked concernedly, watching her put the shards on the floor beside them carelessly.

"I…" she gave a heavy sigh and decided to just plain come clean, "…I threw it last night, about 5 minutes before you turned up at the door. I was…upset and angry…with myself. Because you weren't there…and it was _my_ fault…"

He could hear the sad pain in her voice as she remembered the scenario, but he did not press it. The last few days had been evidently difficult for both of them; even now he was worried that she would be foolish enough to try and avoid him again, and he could not let that happen.

He took her hand in his and caused her to face him as he stood; bringing her up with him.

"It's alright." He rumbled, lifting a hand to her face to look her in the eye, "I am not going anywhere."

Tess reached up and slid her arms over his shoulders, around his neck as she pulled herself close and hugged him. His arms snaked around her waist and drew her in tightly against his chest; she noticed just how firmly his fingers grasped her, like he was concerned she would disappear if he let go.

"I'm not going anywhere either…" she mumbled against his shirt, her face nestled into his chest. She felt him give a heavy, rumbling sigh as he tucked her head under his chin and spoke; the voice in his throat reverberating against her skull.

"You will understand if that statement still makes me feel…sceptical…"

She felt her heart clench with guilt, realizing that he in fact was still concerned about her leaving him…She knew that she wouldn't be able to do it again; it had been hard enough to do even _once_. The mechanic tightened her grip on him and lifted her face to plant several kisses at his throat, trying to reassure him.

"I'm so sorry that I've hurt you…" she whispered against his skin, planting another kiss against his throat, "I would understand if… if you _never _trusted me again…But I love you, I love you so, so _much_." She tightened her grip on him and forced her mouth against his in a kiss; pressing him to take a couple of steps back. His body hit the opposite wall with a muffled thump and he exhaled through his nose with a surprised sound.  
>"Tess-" he gasped, immediately cut off by her hand reaching up to cradle his face; kissing him in an almost desperate manner.<p>

She could not quell the feeling of horrible, crushing guilt that settled in the pit of her stomach. To know that she had caused him so much pain, that she had bruised his trust in her and hurt him so internally; an emotional pain that he could never have been prepared for in all his years as a soldier. She felt like scum, to have pained such a gentle and _selfless_ soul like him; and in that moment she felt that the only thing she could do was try to kiss away his pain and doubt.

"I'm so-" she planted her lips on his firmly between words, "-sorry. Optimus, I swear – never again. I – I can't _do_ that again. – I love you s_o much_."

"Tessa," he repeated again, lifting one of his hands to her waist and the other to her shoulder to gently force her back a little; separating their mouths. However he noticed the tears in the corner of her eyes and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on her lips in an attempt to reassure her before drawing back to speak, "I love you. That fact itself will never change…but there is trust that we must rebuild now; what you did was…_underhanded_. It was unlike you."

She nodded and pulled herself in to his arms, feeling an unbelievable sense of relief at the fact that although he was wary of her, he would not turn her away or reject her. She dug her fingers gently into his back and hugged him until her arms ached.

"I'll make this up to you, I swear." She whispered.

His only response was to tighten his grip and give a heavy sigh into her hair.

"I didn't intend it to be underhanded…" she whispered, her voice suddenly thick with tears, "I wanted to protect you…I was so afraid because…I mean – I – I couldn't… I can't give you forever, Optimus…"

With a suddenness that surprised her, he took her face in his hands and swiped the hair from her face; pressing their foreheads together so that he could cradle her against him. His eyes were closed, brow drawn taut in frustration and his lips slightly parted before he spoke in a harsh rumble.  
>"I do not <em>need<em> forever; only the lifetime you are _able_ to give." He planted a kiss against her and pulled her close; her body flush against his as he continued, "You should have _spoken_ to me about this…"

"Optimus…" she breathed in a bare whisper against him, "…If you had known my reasons…Would you have let me go?"

"…No."

She kissed his cheek and pulled her arms over his shoulders; feeling as though there would never be enough closeness to satiate her, "Then you can see why I didn't." she said matter-of-factly, trying to make him understand her reasoning, "If it had been the other way around, Chief…and _I_ was the one facing solitude forever…would you have told _me_?"

She felt his arms clench briefly as he considered her words before a very heavy, sad sigh escaped him.

"I…no…I suppose…that I wouldn't have…"

In that instant, understanding flooded him. It wasn't that he hadn't been able to _see_ her intentions behind her actions, but he had not thought to so simply switch the roles; to imagine what perhaps he might have done in her place. The idea of _her_ being the one to suffer a lifetime alone, unable to love any other than one who had died; it was almost too much to bear. He understood now…

She buried her face into his chest and traced her fingers along the Holoform's spine; his back still pressed against the wall. "I know that this…this is going to take time to heal, Optimus, and I can't forgive myself for what I've made you go through…" she murmured gently, her tone soft and apologetic, "…but we'll get past this…I don't think that I – I can't let you go like that again, Chief…walking away from you was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."  
>With a heavy, defeated sigh he kissed her head and pulled her into his arms as he slid down the wall into a slumped heap on the floor. He cradled her into his lap and wrapped both his arms around her frame; keeping her there as he lowered his face to kiss her. To the two of them it was a moment that was a volatile combination of despair, understanding and healing.<p>

The worst of this storm was over…now all they had to do was stay afloat.

Outside the kitchen window the rain belted down in a near torrential downpour, the sound of it beating down on the roof and the paving outside. Tess suddenly felt her heart wrench with a thought.

"You must be _freezing_ outside, Chief…" she whispered against his lips, "With this – _Mmn!_ – rain outside."

His teeth found her bottom lip, pinching it a little in his desire for closeness and closure from her, and he forced her into another deep kiss before he bother to respond with a short, "It doesn't matter."

She pinched him in the sides roughly, causing him to arch from the sensation as she looked at him with knitted brows. Her expression was one of concern and scolding manner, "It _does_ matter, Optimus! You need cover; I can't just _leave_ you out there…That's so horrible!"

"Sshh…" he chided her, tracing a thumb across her lips as he zeroed his eyes in on the action, "The sensation is only faint, Tessa." He kissed her again before speaking, "Most of my sensor activity has been directed _here_…and for good reason."

His mouth converged over hers in a searing kiss, his tongue gently touching the corner of her mouth. She did not have time to react before his hand snaked around to the small of her back, resting underneath her shirt directly against her skin; his fingers were noticeably cold, probably due to the state of the Peterbilt outside. But she could not dwell on his true form outside her home, because the Holoform had lifted her and settled her hips over his legs, kissing her with a surprisingly impressive amount of fervency. As his fingers traced up her spine, the coldness from his hands forced her to arch her back, bowing her body against his; to which he took advantage of by latching his mouth onto her collarbone. Tess was unable to stifle her gasp as pleasant tingles caressed her skin from the conflicting temperature contact.  
>"<em>Optimus<em>!" she breathed, suddenly genuinely astounded by the urgency in his touches, but he offered her a gentle, assuring look as his fingers traced her skin.

"Tess," he rumbled gently, "You said that we would make this up." His lips fell to her throat as he gripped her thighs gently and pulled her into his embrace, "…Here, with you, seems as logical a place to start as any."  
>Her skin broke out into gooseflesh as his chilled hands traced up her legs and gently up over the length of her arms to slide into the sleeves of her shirt to caress her collarbone. She gave a gasping intake at the sensation, realizing what it was that he was implying. Her fingers reached up into his hair to twist the mop of blue-black strands into her fingers tightly, a soft 'Mmm' escaping her as he nuzzled her collarbone softly before planting his mouth on the skin. The fingers on her free hand slid into the collar of his shirt, feeling the rather cold skin beneath, making her make a noise of frustration about his predicament.<p>

"Chief," she whispered against him, "You're so _cold_. You shouldn't-"

"Irrelevant." He said shortly, surprising her by sitting her up from him and lifting the hem of her baggy shirt over her head with very little objection or resistance from her. It was only once the shirt was gone and the slightly cool air hit her skin that she remembered that she had not put on a bra; she was naked from the waist up.  
>"<em>Jesus<em>!" she hissed as he palmed one of her breasts in his hand, running his searing mouth over the other. The conflicting temperatures were incredible, and she found them more enticing than one normally would. His eagerness genuinely surprised her in a way, because although Optimus was honest and earnest in his desires; he was very rarely ever so _insistent_ for sex.

But she recalled the way he'd savoured her last night, told her that he'd ached for her; and she found no doubt in her mind that this current mild neediness was probably a side-effect from having her taken away so abruptly. He would have thought about her, thought about the memories they had together…and as a result probably thought about their sex-life; such things were normal.

She owed him this much, and she would be lying if she said she didn't want him too.

Finally understanding his need, she found that it only heightened her own; to feel _him_, to be in contact with him…to _touch_ him. Tessa's fingers found their way to where her legs were draped over his hips and fumbled the clasp at his belt insistently. She unbuckled it and pressed her lips heavily against his throat, dragging her tongue across the Holoform's jugular as she hooked her thumbs into the belt loops.

"Lift." She ordered him, pinching her teeth against him, making him give a muffled groan into her hair, "Hips. Lift them."

When he didn't comply fast enough, she decided to pull him deeper into his own game and bit down on his neck, right on the junction between his throat and his shoulder; not _hard_, but certainly enough for him to moan and arch his body into hers. It gave her sufficient room to drag his pants down over his legs, however her progress was halted as they became trapped at his ankles; barred from removal by his boots. With a groan, she patted his leg and kissed at his jugular persuasively.

"Kick the boots off." She demanded, surprised by just how much _she_ wanted this as well. Perhaps desire could be contagious? In any case, it didn't matter; what mattered was getting those damned _clothes_ of his off. Suddenly his hand pressed her upright to lean against him, nestling his face between her breast to nip at her ribs with his teeth while he proceeded to kick off the footwear and let it disintegrate into sparking pulses of electricity. The pants followed quickly after and followed the same procedure. Now free of the shackles around his ankles, he worked on getting Tessa in the same state of undress as he was; despite the Holoform still wearing a shirt, but neither of them paid attention to that.

His fingers traced gently along the hem of the baggy yoga pants as his teeth grazed along the ribbing on the underside of her breast, "Mmm…off." He rumbled, sounding as anticipant as she felt on the inside.

Obediently she managed to wriggle out of the offending clothing, albeit a little awkwardly considering that they were still seated _on the kitchen floor_; but she really couldn't be bothered moving from where they were. Neither of them cared enough to move.

She was surprised by the relieved hiss he gave as her bare legs straddled him; her thighs pressed gently against his. His cold fingers roamed her body, but in contrast to the searing heat beneath her skin; the sensation in temperatures was actually…quite a turn on.

She did squeak, however, when his icy fingers trailed down her stomach and over her navel, tracing south to the junction of her legs. Kissing her forcefully and pulling her down closer to his lips with one hand, the other stroked the bundle of nerves at her entrance and made her gasp into his mouth as he did so. Internally pleased at the reaction it got from her, he slowly, almost _agonizingly_ so, slid two of his fingers inside her. This made her arch with a moan, unsure of whether to move toward the source of the pleasure, or away from the cold intrusion. His hand on the small of her back would have prevented the latter anyhow.

In retaliating to his slow, torturous motions inside of her she slid a hand up under his shirt and dragged her nails back down the grooves of the Holoform's defined abdominal muscles before tracing them along the pubic bone; earning a substantial moan. The contact for him was torturous, because it sent rampant shots of pleasure through his sensors, but never enough to stimulate properly.  
>"Tessa…" he growled against her, "…please…enough – <em>ngh<em> – enough _teasing_…"

Feeling a little more confident that HE was the one begging, she offered a gentle purr and kissed him deeply, dragging her tongue across his teeth and touching the corner of his lips with it before she giggled against him with a private smirk., trying and failing not to moan as his fingers crooked inside her a little. "You – _ah_, oh God – you s_tarted_ it!" she hissed under her breath, "So are you going to – _Mmmmah_ – keep playing around, or are we going to – _oh!_ – or are we going to do this?"

She was surprised to feel him smirk against her lips, slowly extracting his fingers before taking her hand away from his arousal and grasping her thighs firmly. His tongue traced the inside of her mouth as he fought for dominance beneath her; gently guiding her down onto him. They were both unable to stifle moans at the sensations; the feeling of being totally complete when connected to one another.

Tessa gave a borderline growl as he started to move his hips upwards into her, the pleasure rocketing up his spine at the feeling of her enveloping him completely. One of his hands raised to tangle into her hair while the other held her steady as he moved; the position was a new and unusual one for them, but it was by no means unpleasant. He ignored the cold linoleum against his legs and the vague, dulled sensation of rainwater on his alt mode's form, instead focusing on the contrasting warmth of her body and the taste of her lips; savouring the way her legs tightened around him whenever he hit just _right_.

The build-up between them was hurried and somewhat desperate; the two of them each still seeking clarification and reassurances about one another. There was love between them, undoubtedly…but there was a threat of trust that had been frayed and would need repairing; an incident like the one of the last few days would take time to her…but eventually it _would_ heal.

Eventually the rhythm became erratic as they both neared their edge, and as Tessa dragged her nails up under his shirt to trace the Holoform's abdomen, her body tightening around his eventually sent the Prime over the sweet, blissful edge; dragging her over with him with a guttural scream.

The mechanic collapsed against him exhaustedly, the two of them both astoundingly out of breath. Their heavy exhalations being the only sound in the quiet room as he pressed her bare chest flushed against his; still separated by his shirt that they had never gotten around to removing. He was still inside her, riding out the overload with a hiss as he kissed her shoulder. She clenched her fingers into the fabric of his shirt as she tried to draw in oxygen.  
>"Woooowwwwww, Chief…" she breathed in an almost whisper, "That was…I didn't know you even <em>had<em> that in you…"

Enjoying the blissful calm of post orgasm with her still enveloping him, he rumbled a chuckle against her and held her close; tucking her head under his chin as he leaned back exhaustedly onto the wall. "I believe you once coined it as the term…'make-up sex' if I am not mistaken?"

"Shit…I should make you angry more often…" she laughed, kissing at his throat softly; he understood her jest, knowing that she was in fact not serious about further arguments. It felt so much more _right_ to be at peace with her, to have her in his arms and around his body.

He felt his Spark swell with the familiarity, and that brought his train of thought back to a very important subject.

"The trust we have frayed in this aspect, Tessa, _will_ heal…"

"I know." She whispered, "And I'll do whatever it takes to make you trust me…"

He nodded and clutched her tighter to him, "We will recover from this, my Tessa…And when we have…I formally seek to request you as my Sparkmate."  
>He could feel her hesitation; even despite her exhaustion he could sense it. But she spoke, a gentle tone in her voice, "But, Optimus…what about…when I die…how will you cope with that…?"<p>

"With memories." He said simply, matter-of-factly, "I will stasis soundly in the knowledge that I provided you with safety, love and devotion for the entirety of your span; and when your time comes to leave this life…I will keep your memory within a file no other can view, and remember you this way. Always."

He felt her grip tighten and her voice thicken a little, "I love you so much, Optimus Prime." She whispered.

"Will you accept my Spark?" he pressed, "It is yours whether you intend to claim it or not."

A sniffled whisper escaped her as she lifted her head to face him, eye to eye; nose to nose. "Can you live with just memories…?"

"Of you, my love. Yes."

Tears pricked into the corners of her eyes, but before he could make any mention of it, she converged her lips gently over his own in a fiercely intense kiss; her hands tracing along his face, his jaw, his hairline. She mapped his face as she kissed him, her hands tangling into the locks of his dark hair before pulling back with a heavy breath. Her eyes were wary, but he could see the depths of her faith in him; and he felt a small section of the rift repairing itself, healing them in a fractional way. Tessa took a deep breath and looked him in the eye, knowing that his word about _choosing_ to be alone, with or without a Sparkbond; was undoubtedly truthful. In any case…she _wanted_ to be half of him; to give an entire half of her life to _him_…

"Then I accept it." She whispered, leaning forward to seal him in yet another kiss.


	90. In The End

**Soooooooo sorry about the wait, you guys! **

**It's been really hectic here lately; including with moving into my new bedroom, which is about double the size of my old one. It's great! Got a bedroom and a lounge room all rolled into one. **

**Somewhere peaceful and quiet to watch Transformers over and over again! ;P**

**Just to let you guys know, there has been a time-skip in this chapter.**

**It's been a few months since the end of the last chapter, giving Optimus and Tessa time to have healed, smoothed things over and moved forward.**

**Normally I DON'T LIKE to do time-skips, and I would have liked to detail the recovery process between Chief and Tess, but to be honest I think it's about DAMN time we moved on to Dark Of The Moon before I start getting grey hairs and you guys lose interest and stop reading! Hahaha!**

**After all, there's still one more hurdle before we get to that Arc. If you know what I'm talking about ;)**

**Grammar is Megatron's fault. You all know it's true.**

**ENJOY!**

**P.S. The song this chapter was named for was In The End by Linkin Park, but I wrote it whilst listening to the PIANO version of it. If you want to hear it, then I've got the link here: just put it in and take out the spaces.  
>It's an <strong>_**incredible**_** version, my favourite of the song actually.**

**www . youtube . com/watch?v=fZkfEEl5Y4Y**

"Wow!"

"Yeah, I know 'ey?"

"…_Woooowww_!"

A heavy, reverberating chuckle sounded from the trucker's chest as he looked down at his sister, who was standing in awe as she observed his newest trinket. "Cool, huh?"

"_I'll_ say!" Tess exclaimed, "They look fantastic!"

Reaching forward, she picked up the dog tags that were swinging around Aaron's chest and twirled them in her fingers to look at them. The bottom tag had the emblem of the Autobots engraved in it, and the top one had an identification inscription.  
>"Aaron M. Jackson," she read from them, "N.E.S.T. Correspondence…That is so awesome! Az, you're a freaking <em>soldier<em>!"

He chuckled again and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "Yeah I know…Never thought I'd be sayin' _that_. Oh an' hey! Check this out!"

Pulling his right arm out of the sleeve of his flannel shirt and pushed up the arm of his black t-shirt. Tattooed on his bicep in fierce red was a large Autobots emblem, about the size of his fist. Outlined in black and stark against his skin, Tessa felt her eyes widen and her jaw slacken, lifting her fingers to trace it.

"Did they give that to you?" she asked, looking up at him from the tattoo. To her surprise, Aaron shook his head with a grin wider than any she'd ever seen as he put the arm of his shirt back on.

"Nope. Tha's _my_ doin'. I got m'self a team now; s'nice to be a part of somethin'."

She did not miss the fondness in his voice, and it didn't take a genius to know how strongly Aaron and Magnus' friendship had become over the last few months that the trucker had been training to fight alongside them. His brief life at the N.E.S.T base had finally come to an end; and it was time for he and Ultra Magnus to begin their first mobile communications run. She felt her heart tighten in realization that he was leaving her again, but this time it would be much more dangerous than driving freight. She suddenly lunged at him, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him in a death grip as she hugged him for all she was worth.  
>"I love you, Azzy…" she whispered to him, letting slip the childhood nickname that she hadn't used for him since she was 9 years old, "Be safe…please."<p>

She heard him clear his throat and laugh at her, wrapping her in one of the bear hugs that she'd cherished her whole life; the hugs that made every hurt and pain disappear and prevented the cruelty of the world from ever reaching her. "I love ya too, Terry." He said affectionately, "An' don't worry; we'll be comin' back fer sure. Don't y'all f'rget, I got a girlfrien' now!"

Tess laughed at him and squeezed him briefly before letting him go, "I don't know if _girlfriend_ is the right term for Maggie, Az. You're still _courting_ her, and I still maintain that she only tolerates you because she has to."

"Aw now 'at is just _cruel_, Tessie. I paid fer her dinner an everything las' night when we wen' out."

"You, being a _gentleman_? Holy shit, is the world about to implode?"

"Ah shuddup ya brat." He scoffed, pulling her into a one armed hug and poking her in the ribs playfully. "Promised 'er I'd keep in touch so long as she's fine 'bout the distance. Them kangaroo chicks got _spunk_, I'll give 'em that."

The mechanic scoffed at him and slapped him on the arm, "Kangaroo chicks? God, you're so rude. You do know that kangaroos aren't _all over_ Australia, right? I mean…they don't have them bouncing down the main highways or anything."

"They don't?" he gushed mockingly, "We'll s_hit_! An' here I was thinkin' they all lived in them tin-rooved 'ouses an' all. Damn."

"Smartass."

Behind them, Ultra Magnus allowed a hiss of air to escape his joints as he knelt down beside his new brother-in-arms. The massive soldier cast a glance to Optimus, who was watching the scene quietly to allow the siblings their farewell without interruption.

Tess knew that Magnus had spoken to the leader since the fiasco of her attempting to 'break-up' with Optimus. But the Prime, although frustrated and annoyed at Ultra Magnus' involvement in the situation, he was not angry; it was not the soldiers fault. He had assumed that Tessa and Optimus had already Sparkbonded, and as such thought that they had already discussed the issue of death.

By the end of it, Optimus was reluctantly _grateful_ that his soldier had brought the topic into light, because despite the trouble it had caused; the air was now clear. The Prime and the mechanic would be heading into the situation with both eyes and optics open; there would be no deceit or lies between them. Although they had still not yet Sparkbonded, their relationship was back on track after the last few months of time, openness and recovery. It would not be long now before they attempted the bond; all the bots on base could sense it.

"We should be going, Aaron. We will perform a test analysis on a run from here to the California base." Magnus said gently, placing a finger on the top of his comrade's head, "It is a long drive."

He nodded in response and looked at Tessa, cradling her shoulder in one hand and planting a kiss on her forehead, "Don' miss me too much, y'got it?"

She sighed and gave a chuckle under her breath, "Give them hell."

"Will do." Aaron grinned, ruffling her hair before turning to look up at Optimus who crouched on his haunches to view the human, "Y'all take care of 'er, big guy. 'f I hear you two've broken up again I'll be makin' the way back 'ere to beat sense into ya _both_!"

Optimus gave a reverberating chuckle as hair hissed from his joints, turning to look down at Tess, "I have sworn to stand beside her whether she accepts forever or not, Aaron. I will watch over her."  
>The mechanic gave a smile and wrapped her arms around herself to try and shield from the Prime's intense gaze, "I'm not going anywhere, Chief; I promised. No more running."<p>

"Yer damn _right_ ya ain't!" her brother scoffed, "I didn't go 'n tell dad, give 'im a near 'eart attack at seein' Magnus and have 'im chew my ass about keeping secrets, fer you to _run_. In fact there'd better be a goddamn _weddin_' planned by the next time I see ya!"

Tessa felt her face flush and momentarily she wanted to just have the tarmac swallow her whole and quell her embarrassment, but Aaron had already changed subject; approaching the crouching Prime to look up at him.

Their gazes squared off for a moment before the human finally held out his hand firmly with that familiar, cocky smirk written across his face. "Fer whatever my word's worth, capt'n…I'm proud fer ya to be a part of the family."

Understanding the gestured earth custom, Optimus lifted a hand and held out one finger for the human male to grasp; the two of them recreating a rather bizarre version of a handshake.

It was like watching a lion try to shake hands with an ant.

She couldn't help but smile at the scene.

"I am honoured to call you brother." Prime responded deeply, tipping his head at the human respectfully. "Not only as kin, but as comrades."

Tess watched as Aaron's face turned a very faint shade of red and she couldn't help but snicker to herself. Despite all his talk and smart-assery, her brother was a good hearted and generally modest person; he would easily accept praise on his abilities but anything remotely cushy or sappy sent him into gruff overcompensation. He let go of the Autobot's finger and rubbed the back of his neck.  
>"Aw <em>shit<em>, man. Don't y'all get sappy on me now." He scoffed, clearing his throat and waving a hand dismissively. Then he turned to Ultra Magnus and gave him a thumbs up, "Guess we better get goin' then 'ey big guy?"

The massive soldier gave his human charge a nod and began to fold in on himself to form the large frame of the trucker's Mack Titan. It rolled up directly behind Aaron and the door popped open rather politely as the stereo tuned into life. "Whenever you are ready, my friend." It said, Magnus' disciplined tone carrying into the air.

Tessa took a deep breath as she watched Aaron turn to her, look back at the open truck and then back to her. As it turned out, he didn't say anything; instead he took her in his arms and engulfed her in a bear hug. He held her tight and didn't say a word; but she understood the subtle gesture of his tightening embrace.

"I'll miss you." She murmured to him, so that only the trucker would hear it, "Take care of each other."

She felt his grip tighten before he lifted a hand to ruffle her hair affectionately, "You too, squirt. I'll see ya in a couple'a months 'r so."

Deciding not to drag out the goodbye any more than they already had, he climbed up into the driver's seat of the Mack and gave his younger sibling a cheeky, two-fingered salute and a trademark grin. "See y'all on th' battlefield."

The engine roared in confirmation, and the tyres hissed as the massive vehicle rolled forward and began to pick up speed. Tessa watched as her brother drove away from her, departing for his very first mission; as a part of her new family. She gave a heavy sigh and rested a hand on Optimus' leg gently, looking up at him with a sad smile and tears in her eyes.

Out of habit, he lowered his hand from his knee and traced a single finger tenderly down the side of her body, his expression one of evident concern.

"Are you alright…?" he asked gently, knowing her well enough to understand that watching Aaron's departure would have been difficult for her; no matter _how_ happy for him she was. The mechanic gave a heavy sigh and nodded, leaning in to his grasp to rest her cheek on his finger.

"Yeah…" she muttered, "I guess it's just always hard to watch him leave. You'd think I'd be used to it by now; he's been a trucker since he was 20 years old…"

"Tessa," he said gently, his manner like that of someone trying to reason with a saddened child, "separating from the ones we care for does not get easier, no matter the amount of times we must do so."

"Yeah, I guess…" she looked up at him with a tiny hint of a smile, "…do you have time to go for a drive…?"

Checking the internal time keep within his data files, Optimus found himself met with a rather full schedule, including a debriefing for Jolt and the Twins, who were returning from a recon mission some time that afternoon. In barely a nanosecond, he scanned the timetables of all his on-base soldiers, and found Sideswipe to have been allotted a free afternoon; and Optimus was somewhat relieved for this, knowing that not only did Tessa clearly want company but that she and Sideswipe were something of surrogate siblings.  
>"I am afraid not, Tess…" he said apologetically, "…but I have scanned the roster for the available Autobots, and Sideswipe has been assigned the afternoon free. You can spend some time with him."<p>

"Oh, Chief…" she said worriedly, "Let him have some time to relax, really I don't want to be a pain; I'm fine."

With a knowing smile, he ignored her words; knowing perfectly well that she wanted the company, but did not want to put anyone out to have it. Reaching up for his finial gear, he activated the Com-Link and located Sideswipe's frequency, pinging him directly.

:_**Hey, Prime! Everything alright?**_:

:_Yes, everything is fine. I had a request to make of you, if you are willing?_:

He could hear a minute scoff over the end of the line, fitting of his soldier's playful nature. :_**Sure thing, what's the deal?**_:

:_Aaron Jackson and Ultra Magnus have departed the base. Tessa seems to be in need of company, and I am unable to stay with her; I have a debriefing this afternoon after training with some of the human soldiers. Your roster is vacant for the afternoon, and I know that the two of you make comfortable company. However this is not an order, Sideswipe; it is merely a request._:

:_**No problem at all, Optimus. I'll be there before you can say Unicron.**_:

The Autobot leader was genuinely surprised, and heart warmed by the ease with which the silver bot was ready to come to Tessa's aid. Then again, Sideswipe had been one of the first of the Autobots to relate to the human on a non-professional level. In her first days at N.E.S.T, Sideswipe had been the one to talk to her and understand her confusion about the whole 'alien' business. In a lot of ways, he was the first Cybertronian that she could have called _friend_.

:_Thank you_.:

Closing off the link, Optimus looked down at Tessa. The link-conversation had occurred within only the span of a second or two, their mental processing operating at a much faster downloadable speed than that of a human conversation; one of the perks of advanced technology, in a way.

"Sideswipe is on his way, he was more than willing to keep you company, Tessa; he is your _friend_."

She found herself speechless for a second, unable to comprehend the speed with which their conversation had obviously happened. "He-he's already –? _Jesus_, Optimus! How fast do you guys _talk_ over that link?"

He gave a metallic, reverberating chuckle and shook his head at her endearingly, feeling that familiar sense of love and trust swelling up where it used to be before their separation several months ago. "Tessa, we process information at hyper-speed. I could issue my Autobots an order and a battle speech before you even had the chance to blink."

She looked up at him with a tiny hint of a smirk, trying to make some humour in her sadness of losing her brother again, "Oh, so you're a _fast talker_, then hey tough guy?" she teased, "Remind me never to let you go into politics."

With an amused rumble at her humour, he cradled a hand around her and pressed her against his face, his optics shuttered for just a moment to feel the sensation of her face against his. It was a wonderful relief to feel that sense of trust in her again, the sense of complete and utter devotion that he would express for no other but her. His internal musings were cut short as Sideswipe tore across base in his alt mode and performed a perfect donut on the tarmac before stopping right in front of them and transforming.

His grin gave away his sense of self satisfaction from his performance. "How was _that_?" he exclaimed victoriously, looking back at the skid marks on the concrete that had formed a solid 'O' in black rubber. "_Look_ at that! Perfect circle!"

Tessa snorted and ran her hand along Optimus' face before moving towards the Corvette, "Oh very nice, hot-shot. Now I suppose I have to order in new tyres for you? Custom ones at the, because _somebody_ is too picky to just take standard ones."

"Hey! I'm anything but _standard_, babe!" he said almost defensively; a mockingly overdramatic tone of hurt in his voice. In response she shook her head with a laugh.

"Sure thing, Sides. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Deciding that she was in good company, Optimus rose from his crouch and allowed the joints to pop and hiss as he did so. It was easy to see that her spirits had lifted already just by being in their presence, and for this he was glad. "I must leave, Tess. Jolt and the twins will be back from their recon very soon. If you have the time, I will come and see you tonight after my patrol roster."

"Sure, Chief. I'd like th–_aat_!"

Tess squeaked as Sideswipe picked her up in his hands and lifted her onto his shoulder; a considerable amount small than Optimus, but easily large enough to carry her with no trouble. "Don't worry Prime, I'll get her home in one piece. I'll make sure she even has dinner ready." He turned to the human on his shoulder with a joking grin at the suggestion, "You can make food out of oil and fuel, right?"

She snorted and shoved him on the side of the head, wrinkling her nose at the idea of the farfetched suggestion, "Sure, we'll have oil casserole and petrol ice-cream. Yum."

Optimus chuckled and shook his head at the two of them, internally very relieved that the soldier was helping take her mind off of things. "Then I will see you later tonight, Tess. Enjoy yourselves."

"See ya, Prime." Sides said respectfully, providing him a sloppy, two fingered salute as the leader turned and began to walk across the base.

Tessa watched him go with a slightly happier feeling in her stomach, unable to stop herself from smirking at the 'homey' suggestion Sideswipe had made about making a Cybertronian dinner. The thought almost made her giggle, and as her mind ran along the train of thought; an impulse of humour rattled her. With a grin growing on her face, she cupped both hands around her mouth like a megaphone and yelled out to the Prime as he departed.

"Have a good day at work, honey!"

Sideswipe suddenly doubled over and began to _roar_ with laughter, having seen more than enough Earth sitcoms to find the '_honey, I'm home_' similarity hilarious. His vocal processoer cut out for a moment before he started to laugh again; regaining his composure only after cycling a few very severe intakes.

"Oh _Primus_, Tess. That was brilliant." He scoffed, placing his palm on his head in something of an imitation of a human running their hand through their hair. "Alright, so what do you want to do, gorgeous? I've got aalllllllllllllll afternoon."

Looking down at him with a grin, she flicked his cheek, the metal of his face making an audible '_ping_' as her nail struck it playfully, "You guys still have that gaming system set up in your rec area, right?"

"Yeah..?"

"Then I'm going to kick your ass at Burnout Paradise, robot."

"Oh, you are so _on_, human!" he retorted excitedly, making his way across the base to the recreation hangar.

Across the base, Optimus could hear them as they departed and he could not help but smile as he made his way toward his destination. His amusement at Tessa's jesting remark caused a chuckle to reverberate up his chest; that keening sense of warmth and love spreading through his Spark like a therapeutic liquid. He could no longer feel that sense of doubt and wary distrust that he had when he and Tessa had first reconciled, it was almost completely gone; and the realization of that fact comforted him. Reaching up as he walked, Optimus slid a finger to the seam in his chest plating, curiously pressing the fingertip to the metal to gauge the reaction.

The Spark beneath crackled and hummed with a sense of ready calmness, and he could feel its energy arcing and tracing beneath the protective plates. He understood perfectly what it meant, what it signified. His Spark was trusting entirely, devoted and possessed love in a maximum, almost _brimming_ capacity. It could not possibly love any more than it did right now; barred from feeling any stronger until a bond connection was made. This meant that it was ready; _they_ were ready.

The Spark was ready to bond. With Tessa.

**Yay! Sparkbonding Arc!**

**Then we can FINALLY move on to Dark of The Moon.**

**However I WILL tell you guys this; there is going to be a very interesting twist with regards to the Sparkbonding dealio. Because I'm evil like that hehehe.**

**Hope you enjoyed! And remember:**

**Awesome reviews = faster updates .**


	91. Your Arms Feel Like Home

**I want to thank you guys for all the support you have given me in regard to my sister. **

**The situation is still ongoing, and the problem has not yet been resolved (in other words, she's still being a selfish hack) but I very much have appreciated the love and support from you all.**

**Even if I don't reply to reviews, please know that I read each and every one, and they ALL bring a smile to my face. All my love to you all.**

**Anyway, we finally get to some Sparkbonding in this chapter; but things are about to get…**_**interesting**_**… in Primary Mechanisms' next few chapters. **

**Just remember guys, I DO know what I'm doing; so **_**trust me**_**.**

**P.S. I used THIS image as inspiration for the Sparkbonding. I found it on Google Images, and thought it fit. It has no affiliation to Primary Mechanisms but when I noticed the URL has 'Tess . jpg' at the end, I spazzed out a bit. TALK ABOUT FREAKY COINCIDENCE HUH? Anyway, here's the link minus the spaces.  
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**www . titanatelier . com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tess . jpg**

**Enjoy!**

"Thanks for today, Sides." Tess smiled, placing a hand on the hood of the sleek, silver racer, "I think I needed it after what happened with Aaron."

"No chore in it, Tess. You're fun to beat." Came a snarky comeback from under the bonnet, a playful tone underlying his words. With a retorting scoff, she kicked the tyre of the car.

"Don't be a freaking asshole, or I won't order you in those racing tyres; seeing as you _insist_ on doing donuts on base."

"You'd order them whether you were annoyed at me or not." He said confidently.

She put a finger to her chin and pretended to pull a thoughtful expression, her grin suddenly turning to one of glee. "Maybe so, but I wonder what Optimus would have to say about you cutting into my repairs budget, hmm?"

"….Hey! No using positions of power in your favour!"

"Says who?"

"…Cheater."

Another scoff sounded from the mechanic as she laughed, internally quite proud of herself to be winning an argument with the smooth talking Autobot, "That's rich, coming from you!"

"I didn't cheat!" he exclaimed hastily, sounding mortally wounded by her claim; which she knew he was pulling her leg with.

She stretched her arms over her head and pretended to yawn. "Oh, well I guess I'd better tell Optimus just how much those tyres will cost– "

"-Okay, _okay_! Maybe using the Energon _was_ cheating…" he mumbled, referring to their race back to her house; during which he'd switched fuel sources to maximise on speed.

A grin crossed her face again as she patted the metal of the car and chided at him, "Good boy."

Her thoughts went back to the day, and she found herself unable to feel sad about the separation from her brother, because the pleasant company had very much made her feel complete.

The afternoon that Tessa spent with Sideswipe served to be quite a well-needed day. They had tried numerous times to defeat each other in various rounds of video games, but most of the time Sideswipe had one. The mechanic had accused him of having an unfair advantage due to his computer-based brain, but Sideswipe had insisted that it was his 'mad skills' which she was evidently incapable of defeating.

It hadn't been until late dusk that the Corvette finally decided he'd best get the human home; and as such had proceeded to challenge her to a race against her Valiant. Tessa drove with everything she had; but the Autobot was built for _speed_; whereas the human's muscle car was designed for brute force and substantial power. Although she lost miserably on comparison to the speeding, Energon powered alien, she admittedly felt wonderful from having spent the afternoon with her friend.

"Again, Sideswipe…thanks. I really had fun today; it felt good to spend some time with you for a change."

"Don't mention it, babe."

After bidding the Corvette a happy goodbye and hugging the bonnet of the vehicle with a silly smile, her chest swelled with a feeling of complete and utter joy. To think that she had come so close to losing them…_all_ of them. She found herself thankful (a_nd not for the first time_) that Lennox had held off processing her letter of resignation.

When she'd told him to try and reverse it, his response had been something along the lines of "_Oh, I forgot to process that. Whoops._"

Closing the door behind her as Sideswipe drove away, Tess set about putting something on for dinner. She eventually decided on macaroni and cheese, seeing as she had a packet of it in the back of her pantry. It was quick, easy and quite frankly; she felt too damned lazy to come up with anything fancier.

Picking at an open packet of Skittles on the counter while she prepared her meal, she checked the pantry for pepper to season it with and was near devastated to find that it was her last one. Not to mention that all her grocery supplies were running on the bare minimum, but the _Skittles_ were her main concern. Swallowing her pride and admitting defeat, she drew up a grim realization.

She needed to go shopping this week.

Oh, how she _hated_ grocery shopping. One of the only times she'd enjoyed shopping in any form had been when Ironhide had gone along with her; and the best part about that trip had been watching him push around a squeaky, wobbly-wheeled shopping trolley like a total _manly man_ as she'd called him.

By far one of the most hilarious things she'd ever seen in her life.

Scooping her dinner into a bowl and leaving the leftovers in the pot to cool down, she found herself wondering what it would be like to take Optimus shopping instead. The idea of him trying to help her pack a trolley was almost as funny as the thought of watching him try to go through a checkout. With a giggle, she found that she had actually already decided it to herself; she _needed_ to take Optimus Prime to a supermarket.

After finishing her dinner, she had a quick shower to wash away all the oil and Energon from her hair. Arcee had been suffering from an Energon leak, and when Tess had tried to seal the line, she'd been sprayed in the face with it. The mechanic, more than familiar with the functions and workings of the Autobots, had been wearing protective goggles for that very reason; but that didn't mean it hadn't gone in her hair. And boy was it ever a _bitch_ to wash out!

Tying her wet hair into a ponytail and pulling on some track-pants and a sweater, she rolled up the sleeves and proceeded to finish cleaning up the kitchen; knowing that Optimus had promised to see her tonight. She put the leftover macaroni into a container to refrigerate it and filled the pot to soak a little as she dried the rest of the dishes; overhearing a load rumble cut off in her driveway. She smiled warmly, knowing it was Optimus.

The knock on her door sounded, and she slung the tea-towel over her shoulder and made her way to the front entrance of her house. Holding onto the bowl she'd been drying in one hand, she wrenched the door open with the other and smiled upon seeing the familiar Peterbilt in her driveway. Her gaze then moved to the Holoform standing at her door and she held the door open with a fond smile.

"Come on in, Chief; I'm just cleaning up." She said gently, moving aside so that he could step inside.

Once he crossed the threshold the Holoform turned to view her, and he felt his Spark swell with feeling that near brimmed overtop. To have so much feeling and devotion to one being…he would never have imagined such love for another. With a knowing smile, he took in her appearance as she closed the door behind them and faced him with a smile.

Her hair was damp, tangled and messy in its tie, her clothes shabby and old; soaked at the front with dishwater. Her feet were bare and her face was flushed from the hot water of the sink, her fingers wrinkled from the moisture and her lips were chapped from the steam.

She was _perfect_.

Reaching for her, he gently clasped her shoulder and planted a kiss on her hairline before pressing his forehead to hers, his voice lowering to a rumbled murmur.

"Are you still willing…to go for that drive?"

He heard her exhale with a smile, their noses touching as she reached up her hands to hold his face, seeming to sense the overly comfortable and brimming feeling that he was emanating. "Always, Chief." She whispered gently, "Just let me finish up here, then we can go."

Planting a kiss on the Holoform's cheek, she made her way into the kitchen as he sat at the counter; his neon eyes watching every step she made under the ceiling light. The feeling of total certainty had not left him all afternoon, and all he had been able to think clearly about upon finishing his roster, was how much he wanted to _be_ with her. There was no more doubt in his Spark now…it trusted her completely. Certainly it had taken time after what had happened with Tessa trying to 'spare' him from a life without her, but there had been many months in between that time; and they had worked hard to find a way through it.

As he watched her drained the sink and hang the tea-towel over the oven rail he slid from the chair and approached her, standing directly in front of her with a serious, almost serene expression.

"Optimus-?" she asked, worried that there was something bothering him. His near silent manner concerned her, but he seemed…strangely _calm_.

He took her hands gently into his and looked her in the eyes firmly; his face looking unquestionably earnest. "Tessa…" he murmured, "_My_ Tessa…" he lifted her hands to place them around the back of his neck and then placed his own on her waist, pulling her in a little bit as his voice lowered to a bare whisper, "It is time…Tonight, if you are willing."

Her eyes widened a little bit in understanding, and he felt her fingers tighten into his hair almost nervously.

"Sparkbonding…?" she whispered, to which he gave a single slow, gentle nod in response. His entire aura radiated calm, certainty and not a single shadow of doubt in any form. This in itself was a reassurance; not to say she wasn't…_scared_…but she was ready for this.

It was theirs.

"Alright." She whispered, "Just let me get changed, and we'll go."

As she headed for her room, one of his hands gave a little bit of resistance before finally letting go; and the Prime found himself watching her with an almost serene expression.

He felt so much…_peace_…

The decision had been made, and the bond would be crafted, and in that brief moment it was as though nothing that the war could do, would ever overshadow it. Megatron could quarrel with him for millennia to come, could send entire armies of Decepticons at him to try and defeat him; but Tessa would always be his bondmate. Once the connection was made…there was nothing any force in the universe would ever be able to do to change it; Tessa was his, and he hers.

Optimus made a point of trying to keep himself busy as he waited, taking in the details of her home as he had done many times before. The chipped walls, the stains on the roof the linoleum floors that were scuffed and scratched, lifting and bubbled in some small places; all of it was familiar, the living space of his lover.

His _lover_…Primus it felt so good to be able to say that.

"Ready, Chief?" came Tessa's voice. Turning to view her, he took note of the simple baggy jeans and the red and blue plaid, checked button-up shirt that she'd obviously long 'borrowed' off one of her male family members. With a knowing smile, he took his arms around her hips and pulled her in to an embrace, planting a chaste kiss on her neck.

"Always…" he rumbled, "My bond has _always_ belonged to you."

She was silent for a moment, and he felt her fingers tighten in his clothing as she sighed heavily before speaking.

"I love you Optimus. I'll _always_ love you…but you need to be sure about this. If this works…then there are no second chances for you; I'll be – I'll…be all you'll ever have…"

In response, his hold became a vice around her and he pressed the lips of the Holoform to her ear. "You'll be all that is _needed_." He growled, planting a kiss to her hair and letting her go, "I will be waiting outside."

Without another word, the Holoform disintegrated in her arms and she was left smiling at his confidence. He was not leaving her any room to argue…and in all honesty she hardly had the strength to fight what they both felt. She _wanted_ to Sparkbond with him; even though they weren't even sure that it would work…they were both willing to try.

Looking back around her home, she then headed out the door and locked it behind her.

Their drive was pleasant, leisurely; as though they had all the time in the world. Optimus had thought of this event many times in recent months, but now that it had arrived he felt in no particular hurry. They talked openly throughout the duration of the drive, their topics fluctuating from various things. They discussed the Autobots and the relationships they shared with them, talked about N.E.S.T and how Tessa had come to be involved in it; she talked about his death, and the feelings she had gone through when he'd been brought back to the base on the chopper. It was only about after about an hour of driving that she realized they had slowed to a complete stop. Looking through the windscreen of the Peterbilt, she spotted a very familiar old tree, new budding leaves beginning to grow on it in the coming spring months. A knowing smile crossed her face as memory washed over her.

"This is where we kissed." She said gently, "And where you showed me your Spark for the first time…"

She heard a sound from the stereo that almost sounded like a cheeky smirk.

"Seeing as this has been a location for many milestones between you and I…" he said finally, sounding as though he had clearly been thinking about this recently, "…I saw no reason that it should not be the place for this one."

Placing a hand on the steering wheel, she traced her fingers along the leather before opening the door. "I think that sounds perfect…" she said gently. Then she turned and slid off the seat and climbed down from the truck; stepping back so that he had room to transform. She had seen the process so many times now that she could probably map each move and name every part, but this time she watched with much closer.

She took note of every gear, every panel shifting and every wire moving. She watched the way the vehicle began to take shape from the Peterbilt into the form of a humanoid being; the metal conforming and changing, sliding into each of its respective places before the towering robot stood before her, a dark shape against the star-studded sky.

A chill of anticipant fear slithered up her spine but she ignored it, instead choosing to shift on her feet and scratch the back of her neck. "I…Chief…I'm kind of…out of my depth here…" she admitted nervously, not quite meeting his eyes.

Understanding crossed her face and he could not help but turn his facial plates up into an endearing smile. Kneeling down and holding his hand out for her to board. "You are safe with me, Tess," he rumbled reassuringly, "trust me."

Both of them found the role reversal a little bit ironic; because it was sort of like the first time they'd had sex. Tessa had been the one required to show him the steps, teach him the ways; the _human_ ways. But here they were, with Tessa as the one who was unsure and new; this time _he_ was the more experienced partner, even though he had never been bonded before, he was still the only one of the two of them who knew the processes of Sparkbond function.

"Then show me." she smiled cheekily, repeating the words he had once said to her so long ago, "_Teach_ me."

He clearly remembered the line, because his voice dropped to a chuckle at her words as he lifted her gently to his chest, tracing the length of her body with a knuckle on his other hand. His optics watched her intensely, their neon blue seeming to glow a little brighter than usual as he held a finger under her forearm and guided it forward.  
>"Where your necklace sits," he explained gently, "there should be a seam in the metal. Beneath that it holds the Spark's protective case."<p>

Her fingers, guided by his own, reached for the seam and found her skin touching the metal. Optimus' hand lowered from hers and cradled around her, to protect her from falling. Tess slid her hand down along the seam, curiously mapping the terrain of the metals, noting the textures and differences in the surfaces. She could feel the pleasant hum beneath it; clearly the Spark was straining for some sort of contact. Looking up at him, she gave a nervous smile.

"Can you open up?"

With a single slow nod, there was a depressurised hiss as the plates unsealed and Optimus held Tessa back a little as his chest metal slid and shifted, revealing the sealed Spark case beneath the cracked open hinges. She could see the faint glow through the metal; hear its thrumming pulse beneath its protective, Cybertronian metal casing. She remembered reading one of Ratchet's medical reports on the extensive repairs that he'd had to do after Megatron had struck through it.

Even though the Matrix of Leadership had restored his Spark, that hadn't repaired the damage to the protective chamber it resided in; Ratchet had done that.

Having seen the chamber before, Tessa knew that there were very small gaps within the sides of the case, where she could slip her fingers in between; as she reached for them and delved her fingertips into the Spark matter she felt the Prime's hand twitch beneath her.

Spark contact was pleasurable to Cybertronians, this much she remembered from the first time he'd allowed her to see it, to touch it and _feel_ it. With an almost teasing smile, she dug her fingers a little deeper and managed to touch the Spark itself.

"Open the case." She ordered softly, "I want to see it."

The humming raised an octave as the casing gave way and revealed the 'cage' that encased the raw energy of the Spark. It occurred to her that the mass was in fact protected not only by the cage, but by the metal casing and _then_ the external plating of his body; clueing her in to just how vulnerable and necessary the Spark _was_ to a Transformer. As she reached for it, it recognized her energy; now coated with Prime's Energy signature as well as her own. It could sense the mix between the two, and it clearly knew her intentions as a bondmate. Tendril arcs of near-electrical energy arched for her hands, crackling and humming as it gently encircled her wrists; tangling itself into her fingers like human hair. Its touch was tender, soft; as if pleading to never be released. She could feel strange, minute pulses throbbing in her fingertips; beating in time to her heart.

The matter of the Spark was almost non-physical as she reached forward to press her palm to the main centre of the energy, and she was rewarded with the sound of Optimus slipping into Cybertronian at the feeling of his life-force being caressed.

"Chief…" she said to him over the crackling energy of the Spark, "I…how do we do the bond…? I don't – I-I mean…"

Understanding flooded through him simultaneously as a gentle lick of pleasure graced through his wiring; originating from the Spark. He could hear the uncertainty in her voice, the concern that she held for not knowing _how_ this was to be done.

"This…" he rumbled blissfully, tracing a large finger along the hem of her button up shirt, "Cybertronians do not have things like this; I think…skin to skin will be best."

With a nod of understanding agreement she released the Spark matter, surprised to hear an almost disappointed keen coming from his chest as she did so; then her fingers fumbled at the buttons of the shirt and she pushed it down, tying the sleeves around her hips. Then she hooked her fingers underneath the hem of her night-bra and shoved it carelessly into the back pocket of her jeans. Then she pressed the whole of her body into his, replacing her hands on the Spark matter as she exhaled nervously.

"Okay, now what…?" she breathed.

In response, his free hand raised up and stroked down the length of her back, cradling her close with the other. "I have to…" he paused in his words to grit against the gentle, pleasurable pulses that the excited Spark was sending through his body, "…I have to establish a…_Mm_…a connection."

Tessa went to open her mouth and ask how that would even be _possible_ with a human body, but her concerns were silenced before they were even given voice; because as the Prime pressed her gently against the Spark, she felt it crackled violently beneath her chest.

The electricity tickled across her bare skin, tracing her arms and touching at her neck before it seemed to focus all of its attentions on the skin of her chest. It concentrated itself to the flesh just along the under-crease of her left breast, right on her ribcage as it searched her skin. She felt her heart beating faster in something between excitement and nerves as she felt it anchor itself to her. There was a pressure on her skin, as though something was resisting the Spark; but in a sudden instant a sharp and almost needle-like pain pierced her chest, making her gasp in surprise before it gave way a sense of comfort flooded her body.

Just as the warm, strangely _loving_ sensation coursed through her body, she felt Optimus give a rumbling groan above her; his fingers tightening their hold on her as he voiced something akin to bliss.

She could feel it too, a feeling of content wholeness that snaked through her nervous system like a liquid; rushing to every extremity of her body and leaving her tingling right underneath her very skin. Looking down she saw the Spark, its crackling rays of electrical energy literally feeding into her chest, through every pore in her skin into her very heart itself. There was an ache in the back of her mind, almost like a headache; but it was something not quite as _physical_ as that.

A sudden gasp escaped her as a sharp, burning feeling washed over her; mixed with an intense cocktail of other feelings. Pleasure, love, certainty, empowerment and a complete sense of _knowing_.

Tess found herself comparing it to Christmas Day, when Optimus had taken it upon himself to share his memories with her, his experiences and emotions, all of it was flooding back to her in that one momentary instant; letting her see things once more.

The emotions towards the Autobots, the rage towards the Decepticons, and a whole other myriad of near tangible feelings, thoughts and feelings; her vision filled with these unfamiliar memories that were not her own before they disappeared and retracted in a flash of neon white-blue light. They were replaced by a feeling of loving pleasure washing through her entire form, just as the Spark did so simultaneously for Optimus, causing him to clench his fingers tighter around his mate and give a possessive, guttural growl.

The plates of his mouth shifted in a silent roar, his dentas exposed in a rare show of pleasurable ferocity as the feelings wracked their forms. Tessa gave a cry at the sensations as they peaked and finally imploded within their chests. It felt like her ribcage was being filled with a balloon, and it had just popped. A sudden sharp rush of strange, electrical pain suddenly coursed through her and she felt what she could have sworn was a distressful pitch in the Spark; as though something felt wrong.

In a heartbeat, the pain spiked, and then ebbed off.

The feeling of unity finally slid away and allowed them to think clearly again. Tess felt an unusually weighted feeling in her chest, like having someone's hand pressing gently on her heart; from _inside_ her body. It wasn't an unpleasant sensation…just an unfamiliar one. The Prime was rested on one knee, his body sapped a little bit from the event; but as he held her closer to his face she noticed a perturbed expression on his metal features.

"Are you alright…?" she asked him worriedly, "Was that normal?"

Looking at her intensely, studying her thoroughly for damage, he gave a heavy, hissing sigh from the vents on his chest.

"I…am not certain…" he said slowly, "I don't believe that the bond is entirely open…Some of it _has_ connected, because I can _feel_ it, Tessa. I feel _you_ there…but it feels as though the Spark is encountering a barrier; one of a non-physical kind…"

"You mean…like trying to connect through a firewall?"

"Precisely that." He agreed, cradling her against where his collarbone would be so that she was shielded from the weather in her half-naked state, "There has most absolutely been a connection made, I was witness to some of your memories…"

"You saw _my_ memories?" she exclaimed, "But Optimus, doesn't that mean that it worked? I mean…for you to see things that are in my mind…That's a sign, right?"

"I saw _some_ of those memories, Tessa. For the Sparkbond to have been entirely connected, I would have bared witness to your entire life, as you would have been witness to my own. A bond-link is essentially the 'merging' of two Sparks; they become one in every sense of the word and their lives up to that point are ingrained in one another. No secrets. All the new memories after the bonding remain their own, but all of their history becomes shared knowledge. I did not see enough for that link to have _possibly_ been complete…"

The little mechanic did not miss the concerned, desperate tone in his voice. Reaching for the sleeves of her shirt and pulling it up over herself she wracked her brains as she re-buttoned it, trying to think of the reasons behind the link not establishing itself.

She could think of only one.

"Maybe its…because I'm …_human_." She said softly, looking up at him with a said expression, "Maybe it isn't _supposed_ to work…"

"No." he breathed, nuzzling her into his face in an almost desperate manner of reassurance for both himself and her, "There…must be a way…I can feel a fractional link, I _can_. And if part of it can connect…"

"…then the rest of it can."

"Exactly."

Nodding slowly in understanding, she lifted her hands and cradled at his face, pressing her forehead against the metal of his cheek, trying desperately to comfort him and ease what worry he was feeling. Despite the bond apparently not completely linking, she had a peaceful feeling of togetherness, as though being right here, against him…was just _right_. The thought of not touching skin to metal just seemed weird and not normal, she associated belonging with being near him. At least part of the Spark had managed to connect to whatever soul was housed in her body…that had to account for _something_, right?

"What will you do, then." She asked him, tracing the seam of his nose with her fingers. She noticed the way he leaned into the touch; perhaps he felt the same sense of companionship from this that she did.

"I will speak to Ratchet…he may be able to help us figure something out."

"Just remember, Chief…" she explained seriously, trying to be logical about this, "I'm _human_. This is uncharted territory, and we don't know if this even _has_ a way to work. We can hope…but if it doesn't work…" she planted a kiss against the bridge of his nose softly, "…then this is _good enough_ for me. Just being with you like _this_. Understand?"

He gave an almost sad rumble at her words, disappointed that the bond hadn't worked, but logically rationalizing its reasons for not doing so. If this was all he could have with her, then so be it; but by _Primus_ that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

"Why don't we go for another drive…?" he suggested gently, "I will speak with Ratchet first thing in the morning; hopefully there is a way to fix this."

She gave a smile and traced her fingers along his palm as she looked him in the eyes, her tone sympathetic and compassionate.

"We'll work this out; no matter the outcome." She said softly. He looked down at her with a nod, his gaze intense as he replied to her; the tone in his voice taking on that commanding, sure-fire tone of when he was determined that things would work. Bringing her slowly back to the ground, he finally answered her.

"We will."

**Told you guys there would be a plot twist, didn't I? Hehehe. Rest assured, as I told you earlier; I have a game plan. One that is going to shape the rest of the story. So make sure you review, because they inspire me to write faster for you!**

**All my loooooovvvvveee! xx**


	92. Paper Wings

**HOORAY FOR EXPLANATIONS! *throws confetti***

**This chapter is a little bit of elaboration on what happened with the Sparkbond, and why it didn't complete.**

**I did have one reviewer suggesting that maybe it was a pregnancy, or 'little Prime' as they said ;P**

**Just to let you all know; unfortunately no. It isn't :(**

**Tess isn't pregnant, and as most of you probably remember me saying; she never will be. I don't plan to give her and Optimus children, as much as you guys might want me to. This story is supposed to be about how THEY are enough for each other, and beside; I've said it before and I'll say it again, Energon won't make a baby.**

**Not with a human, anyway. And Tessa is no Cybertronian. **

**Besides, I think Lucy is a cute enough substitute for them anyway.  
>Speaking of which, she's going to be making another appearance soon, so look out for that one :D<strong>

**Anyway, hope you guys are happy with the fast update! Love you alllllllll!**

"Interesting…" Ratchet murmured to himself, turning from one of his projected computer holoscreens to another, beginning to type something in to the massive keyboard rather rapidly; bringing up some graphs and figures in Cybertronian that meant very little to Tessa.

"Ratch?" she asked gently, not really wanting to disturb the gruff medic from his thoughts if he was on to something important. In response though, he looked down at little human who was perched worriedly on the medical berth, strapped to a variety of monitoring wires and pulse receptors. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in a rather human fashion before he turned his attention to the screens.  
>"Look at this." He said sternly, typing something in and bringing up a screen. There was a digital silhouette of Tessa's body with her interior in all its complexity. There were running veins, an x-ray skeletal diagram, visible musculature and functioning visuals of her entire organic systems.<p>

"Do you two see this?" he asked, pointing to the live feed of her functioning heart. It was working normally, but the diagram displayed a very strange, faint blue glow on the bottom left half of it. "When you came to me last week in regard to the failed Sparkbond, Optimus…I ran some tests with Tessa and hypothesised a good number of theories…"

The Prime looked down at Tessa with a concerned expression and nodded at the CMO to continue. "Go on, old friend…we are listening. What did you find?"

"Well, after the first few initial tests; including a study into my old Cybertronian notes on Spark function and Bonding processes, I was originally preparing to tell you that it was because she is _human_, that the bond would go no further-"

"-Then why has it connected _at all_–?" Tessa started, but the medic raised a finger to try and silence her, shaking his head sternly in response.

"Let me finish." He barked gruffly, his tone evidently in 'medic mode' as Tessa had called it. In this frame of mind, he treated others not so much as friends, as patients. His diagnoses were orderly and professional; and he hated to have them interrupted. The mechanic gave him a sheepish, apologetic smile.

"Sorry…" she said nervously, reasonably worried and nervous about what it was he did actually have to say to them about this.

"As I was going to say…" he continued, nodding at her in acknowledgment of her apology, "…The reason the bond even _connected_ is that humans evidently really _do_ have souls; much like our own. But for your race, it is a non-physical and often _spiritual_ matter; unlike that of a Cybertronian where it is physical, definite material. Optimus, your Spark was able to create a connection because it _could_ in fact sense what I imagine to be the 'human equivalent' of Spark energy. Therefore it has initiated a bond; but because the codes do not match the Spark matter that it expects, it was unable to copy and reinforce itself to the signal ."

Optimus gave a perturbed 'hmm' from deep within his chest, the reverberating rumble growling up in his chassis. "So you are saying…that this is as close to a bond as we will ever manage to attain…?"

"A week ago, I'd have said yes," Ratchet said strictly, trying something else on the massive computer keyboard. Another diagram appeared, but this one appeared to be a progress bar, with Cybertronian lettering above it, and he turned to Tessa, "but look. This is a graph of the connectivity from Optimus' Spark connection, to you. That there," he pointed at the screen where the Cybertronian was displayed above the progress bar, "that is at 43 percent."

"Ratchet," Optimus said firmly, evidently trying and failing to keep the edge of frustration out of his voice, "this does nothing but confirm what we already suspected. We are _aware_ that the bond has no full connection. How does this help us?"

The medic gave him a self-confident and challenging smirk as he tapped the board with his finger poignantly.

"Last week, it was at 32 percent."

Tessa's eyes widened a fraction as she glanced from Ratchet to Optimus and then back again, her mouth hanging open in shock. "You mean that...that it…?"

"The bond is strengthening the connection." He confirmed, looking Optimus with narrowed optics, "Slowly, I grant. But it _is_ connecting, Prime."

The human stared at her lover for a few moments, waiting for him to say something in response, or ask a question…something! But it seemed as though he had been momentarily stunned by this revelation, so she took it upon herself to get some information herself.

"Is that normal for a bond, Ratchet?" she asked curiously, trying to decipher the Cybertronian signal bar on the screen; but to no avail.

The CMO shook his head knowingly. "No. Sparkbonding for us, Tessa, is supposed to be instantaneous; it happens all in one bond. But I think that because your physical body is not what it needs to connect to, it will take a little more time. Optimus' Spark is trying to…_find_ yours, in a sense. I believe it is trying to anchor itself, but the 'connection' is shaky given that a human soul is not physical matter; it is spiritual."

"So…Chief's Spark is kind of like…Wi-Fi? It's trying to find a router."

Ratchet gave an earnest chuckle as he rubbed his face tiredly with a hand, "Well…that's a very _analogical_ way of putting it, but essentially, yes."

"You mean to tell me," Optimus said slowly, looking down at his mate sitting with her legs dangling over the edge of the massive berth, "that there is a chance the bond will proceed to increase the connection until it is complete…?"

Ratchet nodded, "There is every possibility of that. I don't know what complications may arise during the process, but given its current progress…I see no reason for it to continue this way until the two of you are completely tied together. She would be as much your Sparkmate as a Cybertronian would."

A look of evident relief seemed to cross the leader's features, and Tess suddenly realized how tightly his fists had been clenched. This last week had been a strain for him, she knew; he would never admit as much, but he had been devastated that the bond had not worked. She knew it was because being Sparkmates was something that he wanted more than anything now, something that he had never before entitled or allowed himself. With a relieved smile of her own, she turned to Ratchet; a question on the tip of her tongue.

"What about the heavy feeling in my chest?" she asked, "The one I told you about last week…it's still there; kind of feels like someone pressing down on my heart…what happens with that?"

"That, I believe is a side-effect of the Sparkbond trying to push through the connection; your heart is 'resisting' in a way, but I believe that once the connection is complete then that feeling will disappear."

"Are you sure…? I mean, how do you _know_ that…?"

The medic gave a scoff and knelt down beside the berth to crouch eye level to her. While he respected her greatly in her mentality and her mechanical prowess, she was still just a human in a new and frightening territory; it was understandable for her to be afraid of the unknown.

"Because it's is a similar feeling among Cybertronians, Tessa. When two of us Sparkbond, many describe an intense weight in their Spark chamber in the few moments before a connection is made. For us, it lasts only the span of a few moments; but I would imagine that with the length of time this process will take for _you_ two it is simply the exact same feeling, just for an elongated stretch of time. Optimus has described a similar feeling, and I don't believe it's anything for either of you to fear."

Tessa looked around at the two of them with a somewhat glad smile on her face. To be told that there was every chance their efforts of a bond would in fact pull through, was a relief. But as she placing a hand on her heart, testing the pressure of the pressing weight, a thought occurred to her; an outlandish and impossible thought.

"Ratchet," she said quietly, looking up at him with a genuinely intrigued expression, "I'm…not going to turn into a Cybertronian robot overnight am I? I mean…no offence to _you _ guys, but I actually like being human." She laughed, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly, "I'm not going to start growing metal skin or anything am I?"

The medic gave a scoff at her naivety before shaking his head with an amused expression, "Certainly not." He retorted almost immediately, "It isn't a metamorphosis, Tessa; it's a bond. It takes what you already are, what you already _have_, and simply enhances it; tying it to the counterpart Spark that you choose to bond with. You're not Cybertronian, and you never will be."

She grinned up at him with an almost giddy feeling in her stomach. Ratchet's good new in regard to the growth of the Sparkbond had put her in an incredibly happy mood, and she wouldn't be surprised if Optimus felt much the same.

"Neither of you would be offended if I said that I was _glad_ I'm not a robot…? I mean, being human is what makes me…_me_!"

"A fleshy, mouthy little organic with skills far surpassing her people, and a smarting sense of humour designed to irritate Cybertronian medics." The CMO snorted, cataloguing the information on screen before looking back down at the human, "Is that the _you_ that you're implying?"

Tess gave him a playful sneer, "Yep. And that's why you love me."

A slight giggle escaped her against her own volition as Optimus reached down and traced a finger down her back softly, his optics displaying a very gentle affection as they regarded her. "That we do." he confirmed, referring to her statement, "Exactly as you are."

She smiled up at him and placed a hand over his finger, leaning in to rest her head against the metal with a laugh, "Back at you, Chief."

The medic in the room cleared his throat awkwardly, obviously trying to avoid a lovey-dovey session before it started. He looked from Tessa to Optimus, and then back to the mechanic again; his expression going back into 'medic mode' once more as he spoke.

"Tess, I want you to wear a monitor for your vitals; it will keep the feed up to date on the progress of the Spark link. This way, _if_ there are any complications, I will be alerted to them by the monitors."  
>"What if you're away from the lab?" Tess asked curiously, "I mean…I know that you're usually here in the med bay anyway, but what if you aren't; for whatever reason?"<p>

"Wireless." He replied easily, "I will set up a frequency into my systems so that I have a constant status report on the link; it is better safe than to be sorry."

"You truly think that something could go wrong, old friend?" Optimus asked, cradling his hand around Tessa affectionately as he looked his medic in the optics. In response, the Hummer gave a rather detached, nonchalant shrug.

"There is always a possibility for complications, Prime. Unfortunately with cases like this, we won't have any idea what they are until they occur; which is why preparation is limited for something like this."  
>"So there is nothing you can do to predict what might happen to her?"<p>

"For Primus sake, Optimus!" the medic huffed, evidently getting cranky with his leader's almost over-eager insistence. He understood the Prime's habit of trying to have all the facts, but the irritable Hummer-bot was tired and just as in the dark as Optimus and his mate, "I am not a _shaman_! In case you've forgotten, this is the first Human/Cybertronian relationship that our kind has encountered. I do not _have_ answers for you, because I don't _know_ them. I'm doing the best for you both that I can, but I am as blind in this as _you_ are."

"Hey, it's okay Ratchet; take it easy." Tess said gently, looking up at the tall bot with a worried expression, "We know you're trying, really. We appreciate what you're doing."

Optimus gave a heavy, concerned sigh and pressed the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger; a rather human gesture that seemed to have rubbed off on most of the bots at N.E.S.T throughout their time on Earth.

"I apologize, Ratchet…" he said heavily, a hissing decompression escaping his chest as he stood straight and clasped a hand onto the yellow bot's shoulder, "Recent events have been…difficult…to deal with. You are right, this is as unexplained for you as it is for us, and I thank you for the information that you _have_ been able to find for us…"

With an almost embarrassed shrug, the medic shooed Optimus' hand away gruffly and cleared his vocal processor. "Forget it, Prime. You're entitled to at least _one_ moment of uncertainty in your life. Primus knows it's about time you showed some _normality_ for once."

Tessa snorted at that comment, drawing the attention of both the Autobots, "You hear that, Chief? I think he's calling you weird."

"Hardly." the medic scoffed. Tessa retaliated by shooting him a playful glare.

"Snob."

With a chuckle at the now broken tension, Optimus looked at his friend and gestured to the small human on the berth before them, "You said she would need a monitoring device…what will she need to do?"

Tessa could not help notice that Optimus waited a few seconds before putting a hand up to the gear on his finial, like he did when receiving a com. It had never mattered how close to him she sat, nor how hard she'd listen when perched on his shoulder; a Com-Link was completely silent, and she had no hopes of ever joining in.

Then she noticed Ratchet nodding very minutely, his dimmed optics whirring to her just a fraction of a second before turning back to Optimus. Suddenly feeling very miffed and left out, Tess stood up on the berth and cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Hey!" she barked loudly, her eyebrows furrowed together in playful frustration, "No Com-Linking with the fleshy in the room! You'd better not be talking _about_ me when I'm right here!"

The two bots exchanged a look before Optimus shuttered his optics and sighed heavily. "We were…trying to ascertain how in fact Ratchet planned to do the monitor on you…How to attach it."

She shrugged and gave them the expression that they were pulling her leg; gesturing to the patches that attached her to the computer feed to give the medic a live stream of her body's function. "Wouldn't we just be using these things? They seem to work just fine, right?"

Ratchet gave a laugh, an amused and rather sarcastic laugh as he pointed at her with a finger, "Unless you plan on sitting there attached to my holoscreens until that bond is finished with, then no; we won't be using those."

"Well what then, you going to track it through the necklace or something?"

Optimus gave a heavy sigh and knelt down beside the berth, cradling a hand around her as he realized he was going to have to break to her what Ratchet had just explained to _him_. And knowing all about his lover's hatred of all things squeamishly medical, he did not have to be a tactician-bot to predict that she would absolutely not be happy about the procedure.  
>"Tess…" he said slowly, looking her in the eye before looking to Ratchet and then returning his gaze to her once more, "…You will require a surgical implant."<p>

The room was silent, eerily and heavily silent as the words left him, and Optimus could have sworn he spotted Ratchet take a single step back out of the corner of his optics. If he had not been in the eye of the situation, Optimus would certainly have found this situation endearing and amusing…but he'd witnessed enough of Tessa's squeamish weakness.

Finally the pin dropped.

"Say _what_?" she squealed, looking wide-eyed at the medic with an almost pleading expression, "Why? Jesus why does it always have to _medical_ stuff? I mean – _Ratchet_! – Why can't we just use more of the patch things? Surely you've got some sort of wireless ones, right?"

The medic shook his head with a rather ironic smirk, her human reactions were always so…annoyingly entertaining. The way she could slice her arm open on a power saw and try to fix it herself, or cut her head on a vehicle hood and continue working even with blood running down her face, or have nicks on her fingers as they burned with car grease from her work and not react to it until she was finished…but mention of needles, or surgical implements or medical tools, or _bones_ breaking; and she turned into a squeamish, blubbering wreck.

"Tessa, our advancements lie in Cybertronian technology; not human medical needs. The only way I can keep a mobile link to your vitals _active_ enough to alert me of an emergency function, is for me to use an implant."

"But…but…" she looked up at him with a pleading expression, her eyes glassy and her bottom lip jutting out in a desperate attempt at a 'puppy pout' to try and deter the medic. Funnily enough, it was Optimus who felt sorry for her, and he cast a worried glance at his CMO.

"Ratchet…?" he tried cautiously, "…Perhaps there's another way–"

"Oh for slag sake!" the medic huffed as he threw his arms into the air in frustration, turning to the Prime, "She's trying to guilt you; I'm not going to hurt her so stop taking pity on her. Honestly, to think a _human_ would be the one to wrap you around one finger!"

"But…Ratchet…" she tried, laying the weepy eyed act on really thick in the hopes of getting out of it; her eyes glancing at Optimus.

"No." the medic barked, turning his neon gaze directly to her, "Stop being a sparkling."

Their eyes met and stayed there, Tessa trying desperately to make him reconsider; trying to appeal to his softer nature. Needless to say, the gruff, ever-professional medic was not swayed in even the slightest. Her organic 'puppy' expression would not be any excuse for him to not do his job. He shook his head firmly at her, still maintaining eye contact.

"No." he repeated, and he was rewarded by her expression fading to one of dismayed defeat and she hung her head heavily when she realized her sway was not going to work.

"Damn." She hissed.

The medic snorted and pointed at the patches already stuck to her skin, "Take those off and use one of those disinfectant wipes on your right arm."

She looked up at him with a scowl, "I hate you." She mumbled. However Ratchet clearly took no heed in her words, remembering full well how dramatic she had been about having a blood test only a few months ago.

"You don't say?" he retorted, bringing up the files for the specific monitoring implant he was going to use on her. It was similar to 'micro chipping' but he could use the implant to wirelessly access her heart rate, body temperature and the progress of the Sparkbond at any given time; it was a necessity to keeping her safe.

"Ratchet…" Optimus warned, not wanting the medic to rile Tess up any more than she already was; he knew just how distressed the human could make herself when she was nervous. Understandingly, the medic waved a hand at his leader.

"Alright, alright." He scoffed, "Now..."

"Wait, wait, _wait_!" Tessa squeaked, looking up at him, "Aren't you going to knock me out or something first? I mean…don't I get happy gas or something?"

"Local anaesthetic, Tess. I'm going to use the Holoform for this procedure, and once your arm has been injected with the anaesthetic-"

"-Great, a needle _and_ a surgical procedure." She drawled sarcastically, "My day just gets better and better…yay."

Ratchet ignored her with a tolerant smirk, "-Once the arm is numb, I will create an incision and implant the data chip. The only things you will feel, are the prick of the needle and possibly a slight sting once the anaesthetic wears off. Now let's get started."

Looking up at the two bots from the medical table, she sat with her legs crossed and her arms knotted crankily across her chest. She moved her gaze from Optimus to Ratchet, to Optimus and then back to Ratchet. Then she glared into the vacant space directly ahead of her as she heard Ratchet shifting into the Hummer. Her voice dropped to a grumpy, huffing mumble.

"You guys suck."


	93. Whisper

**Okay, so a few days have passed since the events of the last chapter, not much movement with regards partial Sparkbond development.**

**This is mostly just a filler chapter to torture Tessa a little, given her dislike of all things gross and 'human bodily fluid-y' you guys didn't mind the filler, I wanted to have a little more interaction with Tess and Riley, seeing as how Aaron kind of stole the spotlight :P **

**Lucy's appearance is in the next chapter.**

"Damn, Bumblebee…" Tess muttered under the hood, "You really did yourself a number with that intel job…All the anti-freeze is gone from the engine. Shit!"

Reaching into her back pocket, Tessa pulled out the small spanner and undid the screws on the panel, opening it up to get a clear view of the leak. She coughed as the smell of burning oils and fuel assailed her nose, causing her to thump the lid of the hood scoldingly.

"No more reckless crap, Bee! This is going to be a pain in the ass for me to fix; there's a tear in the bottom of the coolant chamber, and _look at this_!"

Pulling herself out from the hood of the car, she had between her fingers a shattered, crumbled bullet about the size of a golf ball. "They freaking _shot_ you! Damn it…I'm going to have to take out the bottom casing and reseal it."

"**Honey don't be mad – I said I'm sorry, yeah I'm sooorrrrrryyyyyy – I'll – try to – be more gentle with! – next time.**"

The yellow Camaro teamed these phrases and song lyrics with a sad little whine from the centre of his body, and Tessa found herself unable to stay angry with him, even though she had repeatedly told him to be careful. She shook her head and pressed a palm to the edge of the engine cavity, patting him reassuringly with her fingers.  
>"Just…" she gave a sigh, "Just be <em>careful<em> out there. I don't like the idea of you guys being in danger, and coming back with bullets the size of golf balls imbedded in your engines isn't exactly reassuring."

"**Not pulling rank on me Captain?**" Bumblebee clipped in reply, shaking a little in what she knew to be a teasing laugh.

Rolling her sleeves further up her arms, she gave a snicker and bent into the engine to detach the underneath of the coolant chamber, "Guess I am, little bee."

Her hair was knotted into its usual messy bun and it was this that she pulled her the screwdriver out of in order to uncouple the coolant's bottom chamber; the massive bullet hole now visible. She wasn't entirely sure where that chamber ended up when Bumblebee was in bipedal, but judging from the damage she'd seen before he'd changed back into the Camaro for repairs, she assumed it had got him somewhere in the lower chest.

Disconnecting the pumps, she dug a little deeper into the engine to try and collect the extra shrapnel from the bullet, not hearing a set of footsteps come up behind her.

"You have a ph-?"

"–_OW_!" Tessa squealed, her head bashing against the bonnet of the car, making Bumblebee produce a sound like a record skipping, clearly a sound of worry.  
>"Sorry!" came the voice from behind her.<p>

Wriggling out from the guts of the Camaro, Tess saw Mikaela standing there, looking apologetic and sheepish, with the older girl's phone in her hand. She held it out to her with a concerned expression.

"Your phone was ringing on your workbench," she explained, "and the name said 'Riley' and it had ICE in front of it, so I answered it for you, sorry... It's your sister-in-law."

Tessa gave a look of concern, reaching into her back pocket and wiping her hands on a cloth before taking the phone with a thanks at Mikaela.

"Em?" she asked, "What's up?"

"_Oh, Tess! I've been trying to call you all afternoon!_" came the woman's voice, sounding a little worried herself. Tessa gave her a gentle, apologetic laugh.

"Sorry Emma, I've been in the workshop all day and it gets really loud in here. Some of Chief's team were in need of repairs. Is everything okay? How come you called from Riley's phone?"

"_Oh, mine's died. It's on the power supply at the moment, but I wanted to ask you a favour; I know it's short notice, but Riley has a really, __really__ important business dinner tonight and our baby-sitter has cancelled…_"

"Oh, so you want me to come and watch Thomas and Lucy tonight? I can do that?"

"_Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Lucy is sick…I…Tess I don't want to leave them when she's like this, but the tickets for this dinner were $200 a plate! I was going to get your Mom to have them…but Lucy is saying she'd rather stay with you._"

Tessa could feel Emma's concern. The woman's children were her life, there was nothing she wouldn't do for them; and she worried so much when they were sick.

"What's wrong with Lulu? Is it something serious?"

"_She's got a stomach flu, so she's been sniffling and vomiting all day…I've got some antibiotics for her already, but I just don't want to leave her…_"

Mikaela gave Tess an expression of 'is everything okay?' before Tessa nodded at her and held up a finger to pause the younger girl for a moment. "It's fine, Em. I can look after her. What I would do though, is call my Mom. Have her come and pick up Thomas; because you don't want him around Lucy while she's sick. If I'm going back and forth between the two of them, I might pass germs to him. Is Lucy vomiting?"

"_A little bit, not excessively…but yeah._"

Tessa internally cringed a little bit at the thought of there being bodily fluids of any variety, but she loved her niece more than she hated the human body; so Lucy's well-being won out, it always did.

In a heartbeat.

"That's okay, I'll take care of her Em. But I'll come and baby-sit at your place, you don't want to take Lucy in the car if she's throwing up. Just call Mom and have her take care of Tom-Tom. You know she'll never say no!" she laughed reassuringly in hopes of calming the other woman's worries, and evidently it seemed to work.

"_Only if you're sure, Tess…I don't want to have to cancel on Riley tonight, but I won't leave Lucy with just anybody while she's like this…and she wants you._"

"Yeah, that's fine Em. What time do you and Riley need to leave tonight?"

There was a muffled conversation on the other end of the line before Emma returned to the phone, "_Riley says it would be great if you could get here at about 6:00. Would that be okay?_"

Tess looked at the workshop clock on the wall, reading that it was already just before 4pm. "6:00?" she confirmed, looking at Mikaela, who nodded and gave her a thumbs up.  
>"I'll take over for you." The younger girl whispered gently, taking the spanner off Tess and motioning pointedly at Bumblebee. Tess covered the mouth piece of the phone and gave her a thank you before returning to the conversation with her sister-in-law.<p>

"That's fine, I'll leave now. I'll get my things for work in the morning and bring them over. That way you guys don't have to worry about getting home on time; I'll stay with Lulu all night."

"_Okay…thank you sweetie…We really do appreciate this…_"

"Don't stress, Em. Go and get ready. I'll see you soon."

Bidding a goodbye and hanging up the phone, Tess slid it into her pocket and looked over at Mikaela with a grateful smile. "Thanks for answering that, Kay. I didn't realize that they were trying to contact me; you sure you don't mind taking care of Bee?"

The darker haired girl snorted in a genuinely amused fashion, "You bet. I've been doing repairs on Bumblebee before you knew he existed!" she said with a grin, "What's your diagnosis on him so far?"

Tess pointed to the punctured coolant casing on the lip of the bonnet and the floor underneath him. "The metal in that case needs to be repaired, if you can't reweld it then we may need to replace it all together. Either way, he's not doing any races with Sideswipe until it's finished."

"**Aww, come on!**" the Camaro whined, to which Tess shot him a look.  
>"Don't <em>even<em> buddy! You're nearly as bad as him! I swear to God, it's like having teenage kids; you guys are supposed to be centuries older than humanity!"

"**Age – is just – a number – little baby.**"

"Oh don't give me that." She scoffed, looking at Mikaela, "Make sure the patient takes his medicine, I have to get going."

Mikaela waved her off, "Cool, cool. You go; we'll be fine here. Lennox is in the next hangar over; I think he's going over plans for Energon detectors with Ironhide, Epps and Optimus, the ones for picking up on Decepticon signals."

With another wave of thanks, Tess set off rather briskly for the hangar as she tried to wipe grease off her cheekbone. With her already-oily fingers all that served to do was smear it and make it worse, and the cloth in her back pocket was dirty from repeatedly trying to wipe her hands on it all day. She rounded the corner and spotted the soldiers and the two Autobots observing one of the large hangar screens with designs. Ironhide was heading the designs, using the same sort of detection they made use of in 'Energon-seeking' weaponry.

Tess started into a slow jog as she reached the ladder stairwell.

"Lennox!" She called up, gripping the rails and pulling herself up, "Lennox, I need to talk to you."

He looked over at her from the screens, her voice having drawn all four males' attention. Lennox gave her a confused, concerned look, "Sure. What's up?"

"I have to leave early, my sister-in-law just called and she needs a last minute baby sitter. My niece is sick, and apparently she's been asking for me. Mikaela said she'd take over Bumblebee's repair for me tonight, but I wanted to run it by you first…"

"Lucy is ill?" Optimus asked, looking a fraction concerned, "Is it a threat to her?"

"No, no. It's a stomach flu; you know, fever, vomiting, probably a really bad case of the sniffles on top of that. Emma doesn't trust anyone else to look after her when she's like that."

"Wait, so let me get this straight…" Epps cut in, a slight smirk in the corner of his lips, "You can't handle routine booster shots, vials of your own blood, or general gore…but you'll go and take care of a vomiting child?"

They all noticed the way Tessa's shoulder's squared a little bit at the question, her eyes appearing focused, if not a little bit offended. "I love Lucy more than I hate grossness. She needs me; and if holding her hair back while she throws up into a bucket is what I have to do, then I'll do it."

She didn't mention to them that her stomach churned at the idea, but then again they didn't _need_ to know that it still grossed her out; because she _meant_ it when she said that she'd put up with it for Lucy's sake.

"Yeah, okay Tess; you go. If Mikaela has you covered then you're fine."

"Thanks Lennox." She turned to Optimus and motioned him over with one finger gently, watching him rest his hands on the railing and lean in to her. She pressed a palm to his face and gave him a very quick kiss on the metal of his cheek; where the Cybertronian was etched. "I'll see you tomorrow, Chief." She said softly.

He gave her a nod in response and pressed a single finger to the top of her head affectionately, "I am here if you need me. See to it that she gets well." He replied, referring to Lucy. She could hear the genuine concern in his voice, and she realized in that very brief moment that her niece was, for all intents and purposes, was _his_ niece too.

After all how many people in the world could call the leader of an alien war faction 'Octopus' and got away with it? The thought made Tessa smile, and she traced a hand gentle over the nicks and planes of his facial plates, looking at him with an infinitely gentle expression. He felt his Spark warm within its chamber from the gesture, it was already beginning to recognize her; even though there was no complete bond.

"Don't worry, Chief; I'll look after her."

0-0-0-0-0

Tessa's drive to her home was quiet, and rather relaxed actually; she drove along with her stereo blasted a mixed CD.

Bullet For My Valentine was among one of the more prominent choices, as well as some Nickelback, As I Lay Dying and a few of her favourite Linkin Park songs. The speakers were shaking and the volume was _loud_; the body of her car may have been deceivingly old, but her stereo system was brand new and beautifully effective.

However after she'd collected her necessary things to get ready for work the next day and driven to her brother's house, she took care to keep the volume down while pulling up into their driveway; not wanting Lucy to hear the lyrics, or be bothered by the noise.

Picking up her duffel bag, she locked the car and made her way up the steps to the porch; knocking gently on the door. Riley answered, dressed in a smart tuxedo with a tie and glossy black dress shoes, his short, brown hair styled nicely with some wax.

She let out a wolf-whistle.

"Damn, Riles. Don't _you_ look fancy!" she laughed, shouldering her bag with a smile. He gave her a smile in response, evidently relieved to see her. He opened the door for her, giving her a hug as she entered the threshold of the house.

"Hey beautiful." He laughed, looking at the watch on his left wrist, "You're a little bit early. We weren't expecting for about another 15 minutes."

She shrugged and followed him into the house, "I went straight home from work and got my things before I came here, at least now I can stay with Lucy while you guys get ready. Is Thomas still here?"

Riley shook his head, getting her a can of fruit juice from the fridge; he and Emma purchased it in cans because Lucy would waste it when given juice in a carton, "No, Mom came and took him after Em got off the phone to you; she was going to be watching Lucy too, but I didn't want to take her out of the house when she's sick like this…"

"No, that's probably a good thing; Thomas won't be around it that way, I won't pass anything on to him. Thanks." She took the can of juice off him and popped the tab with a 'psht' before taking a drink.

"Tess? Is that you?" called Emma from down the hall, her voice sounding a little bit stressed given that she was trying to get ready and deal with a sick child.

"Yeah, Em. In the kitchen." She replied.

She heard the click of elegant heels on the floorboards and the rustle of fabric and her sister-in-law made her way down the hallway, and Tess had to smile at the beautiful vision that Emma presented. The woman's light mocha skin was set off by a lovely olive green dress made of a shimmery, chiffon material. It was pulled in tight at the waist, complementing her slightly fuller hourglass figure. A simple gold pendant was around her throat, with simple golden teardrop earrings, and two gold bangles on her left wrist completed the outfit.

"Wow!" Tess laughed, a grin crossing her face, "Em, you look _fantastic_! Jeez Riley, how'd you manage to land a woman like _that_?"

Riley shrugged with a grin, "I dunno, knocked her up?"

Tessa slapped him on the chest with an offended expression, "Asshole! The fact that you guys didn't have Lucy until 2 years after you got married kind of demolishes your argument; so don't be a smartass."

Emma gave a smile and hugged Tess carefully, not wanting to disturb the pretty up-do that her dark brown ringlets were in. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice, Tess. I don't know what I would have done…"

"Relax, it's fine. Though for 200 bucks a plate, I hope they're letting you keep the plate!" she laughed and looked at the clock on the wall, taking a sip from her can of juice, "Nearly 6:00, how are you two going for time?"

Riley looked at his wife and shrugged, "I'm ready to go, are you ready babe?"

She followed Tessa's gaze to the wall-clock and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready to go; just let me check on Lucy one more time before I leave. Tess, all the emergency numbers are next to the phone and if you need to you call me if you need me; please don't hesitate, I can be home in a heartbeat-"

"-Emma, the venue is a whole half hour drive away. Tess can handle it, stop worrying." Riley said insistently, putting an arm around her shoulders supportively and looking at his younger sister, "Just keep us informed; I'll have my cell on silent, so just text me with any updates for Em. Mom is only 15 minutes away if you need help, and you know the drill about keeping her hydrated and not too warm or cold-"

"Riley," Tessa interrupted with a rather calm smile, "_relax_, okay? I'm right here, I'll move her on to the couch and put some movies on for her so that I can keep an eye on her temperature. I'll have a disinfected bucket next to her in case she throws up, and the antibiotics will be in the fridge, I assume?"

Her brother nodded affirmatively, "Yeah. She needs to have about 6 mils of it at about…" he looked at Emma before turning back to Tess, "7:00 or 7:30. Anywhere between then is fine. She's also got some gummy bear cough lollies, but I don't think those will be much good to you, she can't keep them down."

Tess found herself trying to ignore the instinctual cringe at the possibility of vomiting, but _only_ because it was Lucy. She would set aside _any_ personal squeamishness for that girl. "Okay. You guys go, I'm going to set her up on the couch so that she can sleep. I'll get the spare mattress out here and sleep on the floor so that I'm nearby. What time will you guys be home, do you think?"

"Hopefully between about 11:00 to 12:00…" Emma said reluctantly, "…We don't even _want_ to stay that long, but Riley just made partner with his accounting firm, and he's the secondary host…"

"It's fine. She's safe with me. You guys go, have a good time and don't worry. Thomas is safe, Lucy is safe, and I'm happy to help out. Go."

Riley looked at his watch again and bit his lip, they needed to leave. He reached over and hugged Tessa, planting a quick kiss on her temple before he went to the decorative bowl that held the keys to his navy blue sedan. Meanwhile, Emma pulled Tess into a tight hug and squeezed her appreciatively.

"Call if you need _anything_." She implored, "I'm only a phone call away."

"Will do." Tess agreed.

The two went and kissed Lucy goodbye one last time before heading out at last. Tessa followed them to the door as they picked up respective cell phones and bags for the night. She finally, _finally_ managed to convince the two worried parents to get into the car and leave, waving them goodbye from the front door before locking it behind her.

She heard Lucy coughing from her bedroom, and gave a very deep, resigning sigh at the thought of the probably…_gross_ night she was in for. But rather than feeling squeamish or disgusted at the thought, the only think she could feel was worry for the young girl in her care. She _hated_ seeing her niece or nephew in any form of pain and suffering, and this was no exception.

"Okay…" she murmured to herself gently after setting up some spare blankets and pillows on a mattress on the lounge floor, the DVD player loading up the movie 'Rio' for Lucy when she brought her out. She tried really, _really_ hard not to think about the vomit bucket, "Let's do this."

**Personally I think she should call Optimus in for back up on this one, don't you?**

**Watching him deal with a sick human might be quite entertaining.**

**For **_**us**_**, not them… hahahaha.**

***squees and dies from lolz***


	94. Young Life

**Errgh…sleepy author is sleepy.**

**Just in case anyone is wondering about the 'medical' methods in this room regarding antacid and lemonade ice-lollies (**_**or icypoles as we call them in Australia hahaha**_**) they do actually work. In Australia we have an antacid called 'Eno' and it WILL settle a nauseous stomach; same goes for lemonade flavoured ice-lollies, they really do stop you from feeling sick. **

**It's amazing.**

**For those of you who think that Optimus gets out of this 'easy' in regards to the caring-for-sick-people situation…let me remind you…illness is contagious ;D hehehe.**

**HURRAY FOR FAST UPDATES!  
>Probably won't do one tomorrow though, seeing as it's ANZAC day in Australia (<strong>_**a day where we commemorate the soldiers our country has lost in wars like Gallipoli**_**) and we're spending the day with friends.**

**Happy ANZAC day, everybody. Enjoy the chapter!**

When Tessa entered Lucy's room, she took note of its familiar appearance. The walls were beige, with a pretty, princess themed strip of wallpaper bordering around it. A wooden toy box was in the corner of the room, piled atop with teddy bears and dolls; the dollhouse that she'd gotten for Christmas was there as well, with several of her toys propped up in windows and on balconies from where she'd obviously been playing with them. Despite a few toys strewn around the room, it was considerably tidy.

A single, four-poster bed was tucked in the corner where Lucy was on the bed with a blanket over her and a bucket next to the bed, a large stuffed toy clutched in the crook of her elbow. Tess immediately recognized it as the Eeyore that Lucy had been given by Phil and Nora. With a sympathetic smile, she knelt down beside the bed and brushed the girl's hair from her forehead; noticing the burn against her skin.

"Hey Lulu-bell…" Tess whispered softly, planting a kiss on the girl's head.

Her eyes fluttered open and the mechanic noticed the washed out look of the normally vibrant blue orbs, drained from lethargy and sickness; however the little girl still had the character to smile happily, "Aunt Tessie…" she whispered happily, reaching up an arm tiredly to hug her. Tess returned the gesture, but pulled back and rested a hand on Lucy's head.

"I have a spot for you to come and sleep on the couch next to me, I've got Rio on for you."

A cough wracked through the little girl, sounding chesty and sore and making Tessa's heart wrench in sympathy. "Okay."

"Come on baby, how's your tummy?"

A long, silent pause ambled in the air as she helped the girl sit up, and Lucy sat quietly for a minute before responding. "Icky…" she rasped, "…and my throat tickles… It _hurts_."

"I know, Lucy, I know. Come into the lounge and lie down, I'm going to get you some water. Do you need me to change your sick bucket?"

She shook her head slowly, very slowly, in order to avoid making herself dizzy. "No…Mommy changed it when she said goodbye."

"Okay," Tess said gently, picking the child up bridal style in very slow motions and made her way down the hall at a snail's pace towards the couch. She rested Lucy there on a pillow with a blanket before hurrying back with the clean, disinfected bucket and putting it on the ground beside the couch.

"Aunt Tessie…?"

"Yeah?"

"…I want Eeyore…"

Tess nodded and placed a hand on her head, "Okay baby, I'll be back in a second."

Pulling off her shoes and tossing them into the shoe basket beside the front door, she padded down the hall in her socks to Lucy's room and retrieved the large stuffed donkey, bringing it back to the couch and resting it beside the child.

She went into the kitchen and pulled a plastic cup from the cupboard and filled it with room temperature water, knowing that too much of a temperature shift in the little girl's stomach might make her feel worse. She took it back out to the couch just as Lucy leaned over with her head into the bucket. Quickly placing the cup on the dining table, she rushed over to her niece and hastily pushed back her hair just as the child coughed violently before she gagged and vomited into the bucket. Tessa had to suppress the urge to follow suit, instead rubbing the girl's back with one hand, and holding her hair in place with the other.  
>"Shh, it's okay baby. Better out than in, just let it come." She reassured her gently, subtly turning her head away from the bucket while still maintaining her vigil on keeping Lucy's hair clean. A few seconds passed and the episode stopped, but Lucy's eyes were watering.<p>

"Yuck…" she choked.

"Yeah, I know. But sometimes it just happens Lucy, I know it's horrible. Here, let's tie your hair back, okay?" Tess reached onto her wrist and pulled off a hair tie, bunching the amber chocolate locks into a soft bun; tidy and out of her face. "See, we match now." Tess smiled.

But the little girl gave a sharp cough, covering her mouth before grumbling, "I don't wanna match." She muttered, curling into a ball on the couch.

Tess gave a sigh and shook her head with a tiny smile, knowing perfectly well that the small child was cranky and irritable from being ill; it was never a nice feeling. "Okay, beautiful." She agreed, disregarding the girl's grumpy comment and instead retrieving the water from the table to bring it over to her, kneeling in front of her, "Here, have a drink."

"…Nooo…" she whined tiredly, burying her head into the pillow lethargically.

Tess gave a heavy sigh and pulled the blankets down off the girl a little. It looked like it was going to be a long and frustrating night.

0-0-0-0-0

A few hours later saw the mechanic feeling about ready to rip her hair out in frustration. While Lucy was normally very well behaved, she was sick, scared and uncooperative tonight. She'd not wanted to drink any of the water Tess offered, which in the end Tessa had been forced to threaten her with calling an ambulance if she didn't drink something.

The little girl, not _wanting_ to get in trouble for not doing what she was told, finally drank a cup of water.

Only to vomit it back up again.

Thankfully, the antibiotics had managed to stay down long enough for Lucy's body to absorb it, but now Tessa was trying to convince her to take something to lower her fever, but no matter how much she threatened or bribed; the child wasn't having a bar of it. And Tessa was beginning to worry about her climbing temperature; the coughing had given way to a higher fever and vomiting, which was nothing but water, given that that's all that was in Lucy's stomach. Tess had rinsed out the 'sick bucket' about three or four times by now, and she was beginning to stress.

If Lucy didn't take some medicine and have something to settle her stomach, she wouldn't be able to retain fluids and then she would dehydrate. She kept calm in front of Lucy, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't worrying. What she needed, were lemonade ice-lollies and a soluble antacid to settle the stomach; neither of which Riley and Emma had in their supplies.

And she couldn't leave the house to get them.

It was already 9:30, and Tess did not want to go to sleep until Lucy's temperature had gone down. At her mother's house, Thomas would already be in bed; and she wouldn't have been surprised if her mother was too. She didn't want to wake them just to ask them to go to the drugstore for her, and she was absolutely _not_ going to call Riley and Emma home unless it was a life or death emergency; she knew how long Riley had been working towards making partner in his accounting firm…

With a heavy sigh, Tessa moved into the kitchen, watching Lucy like a hawk as she picked up her phone and dialled the number that Optimus could be reached on. The number was long given that he was not on a 'paid line network' and she also had to bypass security measures…but she needed back-up on this, Lucy was too tired, upset and uncomfortable to listen to her.

It was understandable, because all children became easily cranky and disgruntled when they were sick.

"_Prime._" Came the deep rumble from the end of the line. Tessa found relief flooding through her just from the familiar sound.

"Chief?" she said quietly in an almost murmur, not wanting Lucy to hear her, "Did I wake you…?"

"_Not at all. Is everything alright?_"

"Actually…I…I need you to help me with something. Lucy is…getting dehydrated."

Optimus, who had been a part of the human military long enough to know that dehydration was a serious and dangerous risk, immediately had a tone of concern in his voice; tipped off by the low sound of her own.

"_I am here, what do you need of me?_"

Tess shuffled on her feet and cupped her hand around the phone, watching Lucy wriggle sleepily on the couch. She was dozing off, but Tessa would need to wake her again. She had to keep _trying_ to get water into her. "Ask someone on base if you can borrow some money…I need you to buy something for me. I know that…you've never done it before, but…Optimus…I _need_ your help…"

She heard a smile in his voice, his tone gentle and reassuring, "_Calm down, Tessa. I will relay the instructions to one of the soldiers, just tell me what it is that you need._"

"Okay…" she sighed, pressing her hand to the back of her forehead. Was it starting to get warm? "The drugstore – or no! Wait – the supermarket, find one of those after-hours supermarkets, and pick me up a box of lemonade ice-lollies, and a bottle of _soluble_ antacid. The antacid will look like a white powder, and it should be in a glass jar. Can you do that?"

"_Of course. Try to keep her hydrated, Tessa; I am coming to you._"

"Thanks Optimus…" she breathed in relief before relaying him Riley's address, bidding him goodbye and hanging up; proceeding to make her way into the lounge room. She sat beside Lucy on the couch and gently shook the girl's shoulder. A mumbled, croaky groan sounded from the child as she stirred.

"Aunt Tessie…?" she mumbled.

"You have to wake up, sweety."

"…Mmrh…Why…?" she asked quietly, sounding exhausted, ill and queasy, her eyes red and watery. She honestly looked terrible, especially with her hair starting to come out from the sloppy but.

"Because, I need to bring your fever down before I can let you sleep. You have to talk to me, okay?" she reached over to the side table beside the arm of the couch and reached into the bowl of tepid water, there was a cool cloth soaking in it. She took it out, squeezed away the excess water and lifted the back of Lucy's shirt, "I need to put the cloth back on." She said apologetically, knowing what would come next. With Lucy's fever, the girl _felt_ cold, even though her skin was on fire.

"But it's so _cold_…" Lucy whimpered, curling into a little ball and clutching her churning stomach.

"I know…but your skin is hot, baby. Just try to watch the movie instead and don't think about it, I put The Little Mermaid on just for you…"

Half an hour…

Half an _hour_ Tessa sat on that sofa holding back hair and moistening towel cloths, comforting a distraught and grumpy little 6-year-old until finally, _finally_ she heard the familiar rumble of the Peterbilt she loved so dearly. She placed another cloth on Lucy's skin, trying to ignore the guilt when she felt her shivering beneath her hand before she heard a sharp knock at the door.

She planted a kiss on the child's forehead, feeling the burn beneath her lips, "I'll be right back, Lucy. Keep that there, okay."

A tired, delirious mumble was her only response, and Tessa near flew to the door to pull it open to reveal the Holoform dressed in simple blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a red jacket. He held up a brown paper bag with a tentative look on his face as she met his eyes.

"I got the items you asked for…the server at the food store seemed to think I was…what did he say…? – _doped out_ – when I asked him what ice-lollies were… And I purchased the…_antacid_ in a lemoned flavour…? I would imagine anything with _acid_ written in the name to be quite repulsive for humans…but…"

"No," Tess interrupted, "Chief, this is perfect. You – " she took his face between her hands and planted a kiss on the Holoform's lips, "– are an _angel_. Come inside, I need to give Lucy the antacid to settle her stomach."

Taking the bag off him, Optimus noticed the haste with which she headed to the living area. However as soon as he entered after her, he realized why; he could sense the sickness in the air as he walked into the room, and the source that the sickly energy was coming from, was the small child on the sofa. His Spark skipped briefly in worry upon seeing the girl, wet cloth on her exposed arms and belly, her cheeks red and perspiration on her forehead. A bucket was next to the couch, and he suspected that was for the stomach liquid she was purging.

"Lucy," Tess whispered, "Sit up for me, come on baby girl, I _know_ that you're tired…_please_?"

With a reluctant mumble, Lucy stirred with a rather grumpy sound. "I wanna go to _sleep_…" she wailed exhaustedly. Optimus could hear the rasp in her voice, the hoarse grating of the vocal chords; and it pained him to hear it as she began to cough. Tess shot him a sad look and pressed a hand to the child's cheek.  
>"I know, I know. But you need to drink this; it's going to stop your tummy from feeling yucky, okay? Hey…look who came to see you…"<p>

Exhausted, washed out blue eyes fell on him, and Optimus noticed almost immediately that they brightened a little bit. "Uncle _Octo_pus…!" she exclaimed, her voice suddenly cracking at the overuse of pitch. In response to the horrible sound of her vocal chords, he placed a gentle hand on her head and smiled as he sat beside her on the couch.

"Do not strain yourself, Lucy. You need to get well."

"Aunt Tessie, I don't _wanna_ be sick…!" she wailed suddenly, and judging from the tired expression on both the females' faces, and the dark bags under Tessa's eyes, it had been a _long_ night.

"That's what this is for," Tess said gently, measuring a scoop of the antacid into the cup of water on the table. Optimus watched the white powder begin to froth and fizz as the mechanic passed the cup to the girl on the couch, who pursed her lips and shook her head with a whimper, curling into a ball. "Lulu, _please_. This is going to settle your tummy, I promise!"  
>"Nooo…" she whined tiredly, trying to bury her head in the blankets with an almost pained groan.<p>

The Prime actually felt a little bit worried seeing this display of behaviour change. Cybertronians did not get 'sick' in the sense that humans could. They could contract system viruses and negatively influencing software, but for humans it seemed to be a total reaction of body, mind and motor functions. Tessa shot him an almost pleading look, and in an instant he could tell that this had been going on all night; with a nod to the woman, he slid an arm around Lucy.

"Would you like to see me drink it?" he asked with an almost teasing tone to his voice, but he was surprised to see her shake her head.  
>"No." she muffled from her knees.<p>

"Why not?"

"Because you're a _robot_." she mumbled crankily, "You don't take medicine. Optimus, my _tummy_ is yucky…!"

He heard her voice escalate to a wail, and out of a desire to protect her, to make her feel some form of relief, he took her into his arms gently and brushed the hair from her damp face; feeling a sudden sense of alarm from just how _intense_ the fire on her skin felt. The sensors in his fingertips gauged the exact temperature, and it was a worry. He had to get her to take the remedies that Tessa required her to. Wiping tears off her cheeks, he cradled the tiny human against his chest, deliberately lowering the temperature in the Holoform's body to a cooler, more tepid degree to try and aid in the cooling process.

"Lucy, these medicines will stop you from hurting and feeling ill. Once you take them, we can allow you to sleep; and we are right here."

"…But…" she hiccupped, groaning at the feeling in her stomach.

"…Be my brave Lieutenant." He said firmly; almost, _almost_ making it sound like an order before he took her hand in his. The Holoform's palm engulfed the little girl's fingers, nearly swallowing them from the size difference, "I am here with you, you do not have to be frightened, Lucy."

She looked up at Tessa, then to Optimus and then at the cup of antacid that Tessa was holding hopefully out to the child. With a defeated whimper, she took the cup and drank noisily; making a sound at the non-too-pleasant taste of it before making a face and handing the empty cup back.

"Optimus," Tess suddenly said gently, "rub her back, just gently between her shoulder blades; it makes her feel better."

Doing as instructed, he gently ran his palm across the child's tiny back, noticing almost instantly that the tension in her little muscles started to fade a fraction; and Tessa handed her some more water.

"Give it a few minutes, and that will settle your tummy, sweetie. Then I want to give you some medicine to bring down your temperature-"

"-but–"

"-No Lucy, enough is enough, okay? If your temperature goes any higher, I'm going to take you to the hospital, and then the doctor will get mad because you didn't take your medicine; so come on. Optimus is here too, and he's not going to let anything hurt you. Now here…" Optimus watched Tessa pour a small amount of clear, red liquid into a tiny plastic measuring cup from a glass bottle, and then she pulled out one of the lemonade flavoured icy-lollies. She handed the little cup to Lucy and gave her a stern look, one that he had never really seen Tessa use before; one of complete serious, almost _motherly_ authority.

"Drink up, come on; do it all in one go and then it's over with. I've got the icy right here to get rid of the taste, okay?"

Lucy gave a slow, worried nod, and then tipped the contents of the cup down her throat. She swallowed it, but Optimus noticed that she gagged, clearly the liquid tasted terrible. But before the child could vomit, Tessa handed her the icy and guided it to her mouth; using the icy-pop to disguise the flavour of the medicine.

_Clever_, he thought to himself as he watched them.

"There we go, it's over. It's okay. Theerrree we go, all done. Good girl…" she gave an audible sigh of relief, looking up at Optimus, "Her temperature will start to go down now… Thank you so much, Chief… without the antacid, her stomach would never have settled enough to let her keep down that medicine…"

"You are welcome." He said gently, moving to cradle Lucy under his chin as she sucked at the flavoured icy. Lemonade ice-lollies were a wonderful remedy against nausea, Tess remembered it from her own childhood. "I am _glad_ that I could help her."

Tess leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek before resting her forehead against his with a relieved sigh. His eyes snapped up to her face as he felt the contact, his Holoform's sensors detecting an abnormal warmth in her skin; he backed up from her with a firm expression.

"Your skin is warm." He said seriously, eyes scanning her.

Tess shook her head gently, "Relax Chief, my only problem is exhausting and stress. Now, when Lucy's finished with that, I might need you to help me getting her set up for sleep; I'm sleeping on the mattress next to the couch to keep an eye on her tonight."

"Of course."

0-0-0-0-0

"Oh Riley, I hope they're okay…" Emma worried, looking at Riley as he drove; they were finally almost home, it was half an hour past midnight already, "I can't _believe_ your boss tried to make you stay! We _told_ him Lucy was sick; obviously he doesn't have kids…selfish bast-!"

"-Em, look!" Riley suddenly exclaimed as they pulled into the drive. His eyes were focused on the massive Peterbilt in the drive, "Optimus is here…?"

Parking the car, Riley exited the vehicle and approached the truck with a confused look at his wife, who looked just as perturbed as he did. Very gently tapping the side of the truck, he tilted his head and spoke.

"Optimus? What are you doing here…?"

No response.

Riley patted his hand against the metal a little bit harder this time, still with nothing in reply. "Did Tessa call you…?"

"-Oh my God, what if something happened to _Lucy_?" Emma suddenly gasped, turning and heading for the door; pulling her house keys out of her handbag as Riley followed her up the stairs to the porch, locking the car with the sensor button. He followed her into the house, somewhat a little concerned himself.

"Tessa?" Emma called, "Tess? We saw Optimus in the driveway but he's not talki – _oh_…"

The two of them stopped dead in their tracks at what they saw in their living room.

Blankets were strewn all over the couch and the spare mattress that was on the floor. Medicines and tissues littered the side table next to the couch, and there was an empty disinfected bucket on the floor beside it, washed and clean. The television was on the DVD menu screen of a 'Dora the Explorer' disc, playing the somewhat annoying menu music. On the singular spare mattress on the floor in front of the television, was the 'Holoform' Optimus Prime without any shirt. Lucy was strewn over his chest, fast asleep with his hand rested on her back to support her from falling, and Optimus was clearly sound asleep as well, because his head was turned onto the side, facing Tessa.

Tess was half hanging off the mattress, sleeping on the flooring due to the lack of room on the bedding. Her feet were twisted and tangled in the blankets, her head tucked into the crook of Optimus' shoulder. One of Lucy's hands was tangled and curled up in Tessa's hair, which had come out of its tie and was _all over the place_. Emma could not help but smile when she also noticed that Lucy had her Eeyore plush toy there as well. Optimus was holding on to one of its legs, while the small child was sleepily clutching onto its tail.

As she knelt down to check Lucy's temperature, she noticed that the human form of Prime was rather cold; and that was when it clicked. That false, 'alien' body could probably adjust temperatures. They were using him as a human cooling cloth.

Well…not _human_.

"How is she?" Riley whispered, undoing his tie and tossing it over the back of the couch as he regarded the three of them, strewn across the tiny mattress like some kind of dysfunctional jigsaw set.

Emma gave him a relieved expression and nodded, "Much better. I think her temp is back down, I'd say it's almost normal…she'd probably past the worst of it." She smiled and turned to the sleeping guests curled up with her child, "Would you look at that? …What a misfit family we all are…"

Riley gave a laugh and shook his head. "I'm going to put Lucy into our room; we can keep an eye on her tonight. Let's just…let them sleep. They probably need it after all this." Kneeling down, he scooped Lucy up from Optimus' grasp; and he was actually both surprised and impressed to feel the Autobot leader's grip on the girl tighten before releasing her. It showed him an instinctual protectiveness, one that he found admirable. True, the whole 'alien' situation was still odd to him…but the Prime was a good _person_, who genuinely cared for his sister, and the family that came with her.

Leaning back to support Lucy, Riley then gently shook Tessa's shoulder, causing her to startle a little; which caused Optimus' arm to tighten around her, and his eyes to flash open at an almost frightening speed, the glowing, neon blue orbs scanning the area for assessable danger.

"Shh, relax you two, it's just us." He reassured them, seeing Optimus' military instinct calming upon realizing that there was no danger, "How was Lucy?"

Tessa rubbed her eyes, looking at Optimus sleepily, "She got a really high fever, but she couldn't keep the medicine down. I ask Optimus to get me some antacid and lemon ice-lollies for her stomach. Then I gave her some children's paracetamol to take her temperature down. Is she okay…?"

Riley turned to his sleeping daughter, who was snoring a little from her now-blocked nose, and smiled. "She's fine now. Thanks Tess; you guys get some sleep."

"Good night, Riley. Night Em…I hope you guys had fun."

"Well…it's nicer to be home, that's for sure." Emma laughed quietly, "Come on Riley, let's get her to bed."

Tessa smiled as they left, noticing the Eeyore plush toy still clutched protectively in her hand. Pulling herself up on the mattress properly, she suddenly seemed to remember that Optimus was still there, and she rested her head back on his arm exhaustedly as she closed her eyes, her voice thick as she spoke.

"You should dismiss the Holoform…" she murmured, "What if they need you on base…?"

She felt him pull her in against him, his bare chest cool against her skin as he pressed his forehead to hers. Because her eyes were closed, she did not see the scolding knit of his eyebrows, or the way his lip pursed in concern at the temperature he felt there. "I am not leaving, I think you may be ill."

She gave him a sleepy smile, "Relax Chief…" she mumbled exhaustedly, "I'm just tired from all this…I'll be fine in the morning. You should…mm…get back…to base…"

He sighed heavily as she began to drift away into slumber, and he did all that he could to focus all of his energy into the Holoform, determined to maintain it all night if he could; only using the barest of awareness to sense his truck form, a connection that was always there.

"No." he rumbled, pulling her against his cooled chest and wrapping an arm around her waist protectively, "I am staying right here."

She gave a faint smile as she nuzzled into him, her consciousness bordering on sleep as she did so. Tess gave a breathy whisper as she addressed him, before finally slipping into slumber.

"Smart ass…sexy truck…"


	95. Someday

**Poor Tessie, getting sick on us.**

**While I am well aware that often, illness can take a few days to show up; I assure you that there is a REASON that Tessa has caught what Lucy had so quickly.**

**It will be explained, and there is a very big curve approaching soon. Be prepared, my lovelies; because it's a doozy.**

**BY THE WAY, the idea of Tessa being sick came from a suggestion by one of my reviewers, so a very special thanks to Silver-Angelic-Lilly for the feedback. Many thanks to you, chicky!**

When morning finally came, Tessa didn't even have to open her eyes to register the signs of illness. She could feel aching stiffness in her joints, razors in her throat when she swallowed, and an irritating churning sensation in her stomach. With a groan that cut her throat raw, she knew today was going to be hell; recalling Optimus' suspicions about her getting sick.

She _hated_ it when Optimus was right.

Her pride was bruised in the wake of his prediction the night prior, telling her that he suspected that she was falling ill.

Finally opening her eyes, she glanced around her on the mattress only to find that the Holoform was not present. This, in a way, was a good thing; because it meant he hadn't had the energy to hold the artificial body all night. Or that he'd more than likely been called back to base. That could work in her favour, because there was _no way_ she was going to call in sick to work, and if he'd been _there_ when she'd woken and seen that she was sick…he'd probably march her straight off to bed to rest.

Sitting up slowly, her tense muscles protested and she felt the heavy press on her heart from the incomplete Sparkbond; it felt much stronger now, and she suspected that perhaps her chest congestion might have something to do with it. With a reluctant grumble she forced herself to climb up off the floor, picking up her duffel bag as she did so. She'd brought everything that she would need to get ready, since she'd already known that she would be staying the night at her brother's home. Making her way to the bathroom, she took one a fresh towel from the linen cupboard and closed the door behind her.

She tried to keep her shower quick, not wanting to waste their water; but she _did_ take a minute or two to simply stand under the water and indulge. Turning it up as hot as she could stand it, she let it beat down on her muscles which were already getting that terrible achy feeling that came with the flu, and the steam from the shower cubicle helped to lift a little bit of the mucus from her chest. Once she was finished, she changed into her fresh underwear, a comfortable bra and a pair thick-weave navy coloured work pants along with a plain black cotton t-shirt. She didn't normally like dressing in the bathroom purely because of the humidity, but this wasn't her house; it was easier this way.

Pulling her hair into a damp, sloppy bun, Tess tried to will away the jumpy feeling of nausea in her throat and ignore the rather persistent throb that pounded in her skull. At least Optimus would not be there this morning; judging by the absence of the Holoform he'd probably been called back to N.E.S.T early. After all, she sort of _had_ stolen him away without warning; no doubt he probably had work to catch up on, and that in itself made her feel a little bit guilty for having dragged him into it.

But she couldn't say she'd regretted having his help.

In the kitchen, she helped herself to a can of juice and a small fun-size pack of Skittles which Lucy insisted her mother have in the cupboard; saying she wanted to 'be like Aunt Tessie'. She felt like a bit of a bad influence in that regard; an addiction to processed sugar wasn't really a good thing…but as Tess chewed an apple flavoured Skittle, she delighted far too much in their taste for her to ever consider giving them up.

However after a few sips of juice and half the tiny packet of Skittles, she felt a slight churning in her stomach; and she decided not to push it. If she was going to get sick (_which she could already feel, recognizing all the symptoms Lucy had_) then she wasn't going to do anything to make it worse. Tess tipped the rest of the juice down the sink and placed the leftover lollies into the pantry before scrawling a note to Riley and Emma, who were still in bed. After all, it was only 7:00 in the morning, and they'd been out late.

**Emma and Riley, **

**I really hope you guys had fun last night, I was glad to be able to help out with Lucy for you.**

**Hope that she feels better today, and that Thomas doesn't catch anything. Had to go to work, didn't want to wake you guys.**

**Love to all,**

**Tess xxx**

With a satisfied expression, she placed a paperweight on the corner of the note so that it was clearly readable and shouldered her bag. She folded up the blankets and stacked the pillows in the lounge, before heading quietly to the door and locking it before closing it behind her. A cough rumbled its way up her chest and she covered her mouth to let the razorblades rip through her throat as she cleared her chest. Then with a heavy, aching sigh she turned to climb down the steps to her car.

She froze.

Optimus was still parked silently in the driveway…why was he still _there_? She had been certain that his workload would not have permitted him to remain there all night, and now if she woke him she would have to try and convince him that she wasn't sick.

And she knew how well _that_ little lie would go down.

Holding her breath, she made her way quietly down the porch steps and towards her car; trying to pull her car keys out as silently as she could. She paused in fear when they jingled in her hand, but nothing happened. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she inserted the key into the lock and fought to turn it gently; something the jarred, slightly rusty lock never really allowed in the first place.

If she could just get in the car, then even if Optimus woke he might not be able to catch up to her in time to–

"Hello Tess."

"–_Jesus fucking Christ!_" she squealed raspingly, jumping about a foot into the air with her hand pressed over her chest, feeling like she'd just had a heart attack. She dropped the keys in the process and whirled around to see Optimus' Holoform staring at her with a knowing, somewhat smugly triumphant expression, "How the hell did you _do that_?"

He gave her a very minute smile as he shook his head, "I was not asleep, Tess. I knew you would try something like this."

"…L-like what?" she asked, casting her gaze to the house on her left in an attempted to avoid eye contact with him. _God_ her neck muscles were aching…

"You were developing signs of illness last night, despite whatever you claim otherwise. I knew that you would not admit to it, so I waited for you to try and escape."

"So, you ambushed me then." She said with a quirked eyebrow and a tiny smirk. She wasn't upset about it, just a little bruised in her pride; she didn't like being sick and she didn't like being someone that people had to 'look after' at their expense.

"You could say that." He said with a slight smirk in return, taking a step towards her and picking her keys up off the ground before pocketing them. "Now, I think you should be going back to your home, and recovering."

"But Chief, I'm _fine_-! _Oh_!" she started to protest, but Optimus startled it from her by taking another step forward and bracing his hands on the roof of the Valiant either side of her; his forehead pressed against hers firmly.

Feeling the temperature that was searing from her skin, he frowned and emitted an unamused 'hmm' before uttering a growl against her.

"Liar. I can feel it on you. Your skin is _burning_."

"Optimus…" she tried, pressing her hands to his chest softly to try and coax him away, "It's nothing, really"

He shook his head and gripped her shoulders gently as the Holoform's eyes bore into hers, "Listen to yourself… Already your voice is harsh, I can hear it; and your skin, Tess…your skin is on _fire_. You will only get worse if you do not rest; you are not going to N.E.S.T today."

"But I have _work_ to catch up-!"

With a heavy sigh, she saw him raise a hand to his left ear, touching one finger to his tragus and emitting a strange chirp, like that of his transmission signal. In confirmation to what she suspected it was, she heard him speak.

"Lennox, this is Optimus. Tessa has contracted the ailment that her niece was infected with, I am taking her home to rest; she will not be on base."

Tessa moved to object, but he placed his free thumb against her lips and shook his head sternly, a silent warning that he was not letting her get out of this. As much as her pride was being beaten to a bloody pulp, she honestly found herself trying to fight the feeling of light-headedness that was engulfing her currently.

"No, I will be staying with her to make certain she gets the rest that she needs. Notify me of any emergencies, but Mikaela can take care of Tessa's workload; she is more than capable."

She heard him pause, and his brows furrowed before he nodded despite not being able to be seen. "Ratchet?... Yes, keep me informed of the progress on the link; I need to know if Tessa's condition has any effect on it. Yes, thank you."

He lowered his hand and placed it gently on her arm, frowning at the burn that he felt there as well. "You are going home." He said sternly, almost like a parent speaking to a disobedient child, and his eyes were warm, but worried.

Tess felt her voice crack in protest, the light-headed feeling still clouding her brain, "But I... but – Optimus…" she started, silenced when he shook his head firmly. As if to prove his point about how unhealthy she was, he lifted both hands to her shoulders, reaching over them to knead the tips of his fingers into her shoulder blades. Pleasant sensation shot rampantly through her aching muscles, and the age-old saying about not knowing something was sore until treated instantly sprang to mind. She gave a half pained-half relieved moan from the pained aching before dropping her head to rest it on his chest, to which he sighed heavily.

"You see…?" he said gently, "Enough stubbornness, I'm taking you home."

She gave a mumble against his chest, making a disappointed sound as he stopped the brief massage. She hated being sick, she always felt like a baby; that she should just 'toughen up princess' as Aaron used to say. But then again, she knew that this was a fight that she would not win against Optimus; his concern was genuine and he only meant the best. Well, that and if she _didn't_ listen to him, he'd just lift her up and carry her all the way home.

With a heavy sigh against his shirt, she dropped her voice to a defeated mutter.

"…Fine…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Do you have the things that you need?" Optimus asked once Tess was seated on the couch, "The remedies that you gave to Lucy?"

She gave a heavy sigh and nodded very slowly, "In the food pantry, top shelf in the clear container. Has a red cross on the front..."

The ill woman was sitting with her head rested against the back of the sofa, breathing in deeply through her nose and exhaling through her teeth. The ride back to her house had not gone well, the motion of the Peterbilt had increased her nausea and she'd been forced to get Optimus to pull over twice so that she could throw up on the side of the road. Thankfully, both times she had managed to not do so inside the truck.

Dear _God_ she would have been mortified.

Under her guidance, Optimus had retrieved a bucket from her laundry and applied a small amount of disinfectant for her. She'd had to hold back a laugh at the way the Holoform pulled a rather appalled face from the smell of it, but he ignored his own discomforts for the sake of making things easier on her. He retrieved the familiar looking bottle of antacid, and a bottle of what Tess said was cold and flu medicine; then he made his way to the lounge area and put them on her coffee table. When she didn't respond, he reached over hesitantly and placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

"Tess…?" he said gently, his brow furrowed. In response, she opened her eyes blearily and looked at him with a smile, the skin across the bridge of her nose flushed from the fever.

"Just…give me a sec…" she muttered, ever so slowly beginning to sit forward. But she suddenly gave a lurch and shoved him aside, grabbing for the bucket. There was nothing in her stomach for her to throw up, so she ended up dry-retching painfully instead; an action which made her eyes water. The nausea was the worst part of it; colds and flus she could handle but nausea and vomiting just disgusted her.

It was a vicious cycle, because she would feel sick, vomit, see what she'd thrown up and feel sick again, which usually resulted in her throwing up again.

No, not this time; she did _not_ want to spend the day on her couch throwing up in front of poor Optimus; the 'foreign' illness to the Autobot would probably disgust him more than it did for her. She placed a hand on her forehead, pushing her stray hair back as she tried to breathe deeply; sucking in as much fresh air as she could. Even though her fever was making her feel cold, she knew from her childhood that the less she had restricting her, she better she felt; and right now the collar of her shirt felt like it may as well have been strangling her. Reaching up, she pulled the shirt over her head and breathed again as she tossed it over the back of the couch carelessly as she sat in her pants and a bra. Normally a state of undress would invoke her embarrassment in front of Optimus, but she didn't care right now; the cool air of her living room hitting her chest was making the nauseous feeling fade, however she had something that would do much better.

"Chief…" she groaned stiffly, trying to ignore the ache in her joints and the tickle in her throat.

She felt his hand take hers gently, kneeling down beside her on the couch, "What do you need?" he asked.

If she'd had the energy or the stomach, she'd have laughed at the fact that she had the great Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, bent down in front of her awaiting her every word. But she pushed aside the adorable expression he had and gestured to the kitchen.

"On top of the fridge, there's a little bottle of white pills with the name 'Pramin' on the label. Can you get me one from the bottle, and a glass of water…please?"

"Of course." Was all he said before he rose to his feet and followed the instructions; knowing full well that he was unsuitable for this sort of role. He'd had a little practice with what Tessa had shown him of Lucy, but he was not human; he was unaware of how to care for one when they were sick.

The internet was always an option, but so far Tess did not seem exceptionally worried; and he supposed that this sort of illness could be compared to a minor systems glitch and overheat in a Cybertronian. It was a harmless and easily treated problem, but a pain when left to combat without a medic, much the same as a human left to deal with a fever without medicines.

He returned to her with the water and the small, flaky white pill in his hand and pressed it gently to her mouth. She turned her head and smiled at him with a slightly dizzy expression. The dizziness was her _second_ least favourite thing about fevers.

"I'm not crippled, Chief." Tess laughed, having to stop halfway through to cough; narrowly avoiding the urge to gag, "I _can_ take a tablet without help, you know." She trailed her fingers across his palm reassuringly before taking the pill from him, knowing that he was simply trying to help her. Then she slipped it onto her tongue and drank some of the water, feeling the cold liquid scorching her dry throat.

In the back of her mind she found herself feeling that she probably should have told him that room temperature water would have been better, but regardless it had done the job. Now she would just have to deal with the side effects of the antiemetic tablet; which was the severe and unavoidable _drowsiness_ that would follow.

"Thanks." She said, passing the water to him so that he could place it on the coffee table. He sat beside her slowly on the couch and put an arm over her shoulders; gently moving her so that her back was pressed to his chest. "That tablet is going to make me really, _really_ drowsy, so if I fall asleep then don't worry. It's normal."

He appreciated the explanation, a little more than he had thought he would. "What was it for, exactly?"

She breathed in for a few seconds to try and settle her stomach, praying the tablet would stay down. "Anti-nausea tablet," she explained, "it'll stop me from vomiting…but the side effect is really severe drowsiness. Good news about that is that hopefully that means I'll sleep most of this off before tomorrow."

"Good." He responded, feeling the heat of her body burning through the Holoform's clothing, "Just promise me you will take the remedy for reducing temperature before you fall asleep."

She nodded in response, wondering if it was just her imagination telling her that the press on her chest felt stronger, heavier. "Yeah, I will…what I don't get though is how I got _this_ bad so quickly…would normally take a few days for something like this to hit…"

Optimus gave a perturbed sound before reaching up to trace his fingers along her forehead, dragging them feather-lightly over her cheekbones, down her throat and along her bare shoulders. She gave a soft, pleased mumble at the sensation; the feeling actually seeming to settle her stomach a little more. It reminded her of the way her mother would trace patterns on her back with her finger when Tess was sick as a child.

It was…comforting.

"Mmm, Chief…that feels so nice…" she murmured, feeling her eyelids growing heavier rather quickly. She lifted a hand to place it comfortably on his knee, enjoying the strangely aiding comfort in having him so close. She could fall asleep right then and there…but…

"Tessa." He said gently, a firm tone in his voice, "Your fever medicine, you know that I will _not_ let you fall asleep until you take it."  
>"Okay, okay…" she mumbled tiredly under her breath, "…Such a <em>bossy<em> husband…"

Optimus' hand paused at her shoulder, stunned as he registered her words. "What…did you just call me…?"

Her eyes opened slowly and she lethargically reached over to pour herself the appropriate does of cough medicine before turning to him with a shrug. "A bossy husband."

His Spark could have _sung_ at the term, he knew that its meaning was important among humans, something of their equivalent of a life-mate. It was a sign of permanency between them, but not just in the Cybertronian sense as they had always referred to it.  
>She always made accepted mention of being his bondmate, or bearing his scent…but that was when it occurred to him that they had never used the human term equivalent, and in a way he felt neglectful for not doing so for her.<p>

"…Why…?" he asked her gently, watching her take the medicine and quickly wash it down with some water to try and eradicate the taste of it. She looked at him with an almost disbelieving expression, as though he had just grown a second head.

"…Isn't that what it is…? I mean, I know that the Sparkbond isn't…_complete_, but isn't it sort of like Cybertronian for marriage? Or…is it more like being engaged; seeing as it's not finished?"

He gave a warm chuckle and placed a hand on the Holoform's temple. "It isn't that…" he said calmly, "It simply…surprises me that you used a human term for it. I thought that your kind required a large ceremony with celebrant priests and white clothing, before the terms like 'husband' could be used."

Emitting a frustrated groan at her aching muscles, Tessa settled herself against him on the couch, feeling her stomach finally beginning to settle down and her head to cloud twice as tiredly from the pill. "Yeah I suppose… but…I guess we could always elope?" she joked, "Then again, I think spray-painting a black and white tux onto you could be fun too…"

He looped an arm over her shoulders, suddenly remembering her lack of clothing on her top half. "Do you feel cold, with yourself exposed like that…?" he asked concernedly, remembering the numerous times the previous night that Tessa had been forced to take blankets of a feverish Lucy, who was insisting that she was freezing.

Such a complex thing, a fever…

He felt her skin twitch a little and she nodded against him tiredly, "Yeah…but the fever needs to stay down. If I rug up from _feeling_ cold, then I'd overheat. It's better to just…leave it…"

So, she had far more logical reasoning about this then Lucy did; Tessa knew what was required to get better, no matter how much discomfort it would cause her.

"I'm taking you to your bed, Tess." He said gently, lifting her up into his arms as easily as lifting a child. She needed to sleep, and her bed would be far more comfortable than the couch, but he was surprised to hear her scoff at him, her voice husky and rasping from a sore throat.

"Sorry, but I'm _sick_, Chief." She said with an evidently cheeky look on her face, "No sex for you."

He gave a rumbling chuckle and shook his head gently, "I am taking you there to _rest_, Tessa. So there will be no interfacing for _you_ either."

She pursed her lips in a mockingly disappointed manner as he placed her on the bed, looking up at him as though he'd hurt her feelings. "Aw…why not? Sounds so much worse when _I'm_ not allowed…"

He smiled as a sigh escaped him and he moved to the other side of the bed to lie next to her, placing an arm over her waist softly and planting a kiss into her hair. "Sleep, human." He murmured teasingly.

"Pushy robot… When I wake up…" she said slowly, her eyes closing and her voice lightening, "I'm probably going to need tissues…I can feel my sinuses building up. Eeuuurrgh, this is not going to be fun for either of us; congestion is so fucking _gross_…"

"You and your detest of human bodily functions…" he scolded mockingly, "Anyone else would think you were a Cybertronian with that attitude."

Her fingers curled weakly around his shirt as she buried her face into his chest, her voice barely above a whisper as the drowsiness of the pills finally hit her full force now that she was laying down.

"I'm kind of almost married to one…" she whispered, "…that…sort of…" her vocals dropped to a sighing breath as she finally slipped away, "…counts…"

His chest hummed with contentment as he felt her breathing even out, contemplating her words with a small, contemplative smile. He looked down at her face, flushed from the fever but a little more relaxed now that she was asleep. _I'm kind of almost married to one…_

Optimus could not help but bend his neck to press his forehead against her hair lovingly, there was no denying that he enjoyed the idea. To be able to call her the equivalent of 'Sparkmate' through the eyes of _both_ of their cultures…would be an interesting and Spark-warming concept.

_Wife_? He thought to himself, contemplating the magnitude sanctity of the term in human culture. He knew that there were statistics in the human world that signified the rate of divorces and separations; but given that he and Tessa had borderline tied their souls together, he did not see it applying to them. Not in a million years.

"Wife…" he said tentatively, testing the word on his tongue to see what it felt like. Looking down at his lover in his arm, he watched the rise and fall of her chest, the movement of her eyes beneath her lids as she dreamed, the crease of her brow, the slope of her cheekbones…the tangle of her hair and the flush of her skin. He retried the word, with his eyes set on her.

"Wife." He repeated, with more conviction this time; and he was nearly floored by just how _fitting_ it felt to address her as such. His Bonded, his Sparkmate, his lover, his _wife_… each and every term fit and felt right; how had he ever survived such a brutal war without having someone to return for…?

Tess stirred and mumbled non-coherently in her sleep, no doubt dreaming restlessly in her feverish state. He planted a kiss to her scalp and smiled to himself at the feeling of certainty, of bonding that he felt towards her.

_Wife?_ His mind repeated, beginning to actually enjoy the idea of the word. Bowing his nose into her still damp curls, he took note of how her skin felt just a little bit cooler now; a relieving effect of the medicine she had taken.

"Soon." He promised, "…soon."

**This chapter kind of stretched on beyond normal length with not as much progression into Tessa's 'sick day' as I had intended, so please let me know something:  
>Do you want another chapter with Tessa being worse, or would you rather a skip?<strong>

**Because I don't want to drag it out if you guys are bored by it; so please, PLEASE let me know :)**

**Also, I loved the ending to this bit; Tessa saying 'husband' seems to have put an idea into Prime's head ;P hehehe.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	96. So I Thought

**FILLER CHAPTER IS FILLER!**

**Okay, so most of you requested a continuation of the sick-day. The chapter is mostly, however, just an explanation of how Tessa got sick so quickly. **

**Also, because she has taken the antiemetic tablets, the only thing she has to deal with is the flu symptoms; because let me tell you, those anti-nausea tablets are INCREDIBLE. You take them, and the nausea completely goes away.**

**However while the make you incredibly drowsy, they also make you incredibly loopy. At least, they do when I take them; in my experiences of them, I find myself being DEAD tired, and yet at the same time you find everything HILARIOUS.**

**So towards the end, Tess gets a little of those symptoms ;D**

**Next chapter is going to be the start of our main and final plot twist before getting more towards the Dark of The Moon arc, finally.**

**So be warned; you'll want something to bite down on ;D**

**Oh, also: there has been yet another 'branch off' story created by an author wanting to include a few of my characters as cameos in her fic. The story is called Sand Soldiers by Rainbow Ninja Mizuki.**

_**Two sisters from the Middle East end up involved in the war, something they're more used to than any teenagers their age should be and catch the optics of some bots. Hide/OC Bee/OC with cameos of UlurNaga's characters randomly. M for violence Maybe lemon.**_

**So please guys, show her our Primary Mechanisms family love and leave her a review on the first chapter; hopefully that will encourage her to post the next one sooner (**_**hint hint Lacey, I WANNA READ IT! Hahaha**_**)**

How had he ended up getting himself caught in this position…?  
>He'd survived thousands of battles where the odds had been against him, and won. He had fought enemies that no other would have been able to defeat, rescued more lives than he could count; and lead hundreds of soldiers throughout millennia of training.<p>

…But _this_ he could not grasp.

Chicken soup.

A human remedy for severe flus, something to do with it being 'an old wives' tale' remedy for sickness… and he, Optimus Prime, had thought that attempting it for Tessa would be _manageable_…

He had thought to himself 'how complicated could it be?' but for one who did not even know the _basics_ of human cooking, evidently it could be _very_ complicated…He didn't even eat! True, Energon and fuels were something of a Cybertronian equivalent…but it was never anything complicated like human culinary requirements.  
><em>Dice onions…?<em> He arched a brow at the book on the table, feeling his forehead crease into something of a scowl at the method that seemed to be _mocking_ him. What did 'dice onions' even mean…? Which of the vegetables in Tessa's food supply even _was_ an onion? His eyes dropped hopefully to the next line of the recipe; praying to Primus that it was something simple.

_Dissolve stock into broth_.

He gave a perturbed 'hmm' and then snapped the book closed in frustration. This was getting him nowhere. Tessa had been asleep for several hours, and he had been able to register her getting progressively worse. Her fever was only marginally lower, and her sinuses were beginning to make her snore.

Although, that last part he found more endearing and amusing than anything else. She was usually a rather quiet, peaceful sleeper; despite her occasional mumbling while she dreamed. He'd never heard her make such…_funny_ sounds. In a way, despite her currently unhealthy state, the snoring was…cute.

Opening the pantry, Optimus scanned it with great scrutiny, trying to find something, _anything_ that he could give Tessa to put food into her stomach. She hadn't eaten all day, and she needed something. His gaze fell on a skinny box, written on it were the words 'cup-of-soup' and his earlier scans of flu remedies all seemed to suggest soups.

To his surprise, inside the box were individual sachets of a strange powder, evidently all one needed to do was add hot water and it made instant soup.

The endeavours of human food making astounded him.

Looking around Tessa's kitchen with the sachet in his hand, he located the kettle that he had seen her use once or twice to make 'coffee' for Aaron, and after a minute of inspection, figured out how to work it. Observing the instructions on the back of the packet, he took a deep breath and sighed.  
>He prayed to Primus that this would not be difficult…<p>

-0-0-0-0-0-

Tessa growled in an annoyed fashion when she woke, realising that one side of her nose was congested and difficult to breathe through; her throat felt like it was ringed with knives and her head ached like it had been crushed in between two _very_ large rocks.

Reaching over for the tissue box next to her bed, she blew her nose loudly, cringing at the action in disgust.

"Ugh…gross…" she rasped, grabbing a fresh tissue and coughing up phlegm before groaning in repulsion and tossing them into the bin beside her bed. Tess huffed exhaustedly and collapsed back on the bed facedown, her muscles aching from the fever it was fighting. She was not beneath the sheets, knowing that to do so would cause nothing but problems by maintained the heated temperature.

Tess heard her bedroom door open, but she didn't move. She was sore all over and the drowsiness had not passed yet, even after her little nap.

"Are you feeling any better?" came Optimus' voice, feeling the mattress sink a little as he sat down on the side of the bed beside her.

"Mmmnoo…" she muffled into the pillow, shaking her head and groaning miserably. She heard Optimus give a heavy, sympathetic sigh and she heard the sound of ceramic being placed on her side table before his hand rested on her back. Unwillingly, she gave a groan as his thumb traced a circle against her spine. She turned her head to the side and breathed a sound of relief.

"Mmmm…my muscles as so sore…" she murmured, "Chief, that feels so nice."

"This is…helping?" he asked gently.

There was a brief moment of quiet, before she felt him shift on the bed before she felt him plant both his hands on her back, leaning over her and pressing gently. His actions were rewarded with a soft moan as Tess felt her feverish, over sensitive muscles reacting to the therapy. It reminded her of when her mother would provide muscle therapy for her when she was sore and aching as a child or after sports carnivals when she'd been in school.

"Tess…you will have to instruct me…I am unfamiliar with what this entails." He trailed his fingers firmly over the skin of her bare back, carefully and inwardly avoiding the clasp of her bra. She gave a mumbling nod in response and shook her head.

"No, it's okay; just your touch is fine…" she murmured gently, tucking her arms underneath the pillow and broadening her shoulder blades.

With a slight smile, Optimus resolved to simply tracing his fingers up and down the skin of her back; finding himself a little indulgent in the task. It was interesting to see the skin of her back, because usually the only time she ever went without top clothing was when she was bathing, or when they were…_intimate_, therefore he never got much opportunity to map her skin.

There were several scars on her skin; nothing alarming or severe, just the signs of the perils that came with her jobs. He could see the curves and dips of her musculature, and watched the twitches of her skin when his fingertips grazed certain spots. A gentle smile crossed his face, before he felt the Com-Link within the Holoform pinging for attention. Removing one hand from Tessa's back, he lifted it to the tragus on the Holoform's ear and activated the communication.  
>:<em>Optimus responding.<em>:

**:Prime, it's Ratchet. I needed information about Tessa's condition.:**

Optimus looked down at the young woman on the bed, gauging her temperature beneath his fingertips. Furrowing his brow, he responded to his medic. :_Her body is still exceeding its natural temperature, but I believe that her nausea is gone; she has been asleep for a few hours and has only just woken up. I have food here for her to take when she is ready._:

He heard Ratchet mumble a perturbed 'hmm' before replying with a tone that Optimus knew to be what Tessa referred to as 'medic mode' which meant that he was not asking about Tessa's condition simply out of friendly curiosity, it was professional necessity.

**:I've been researching, and apparently…Tessa contracted this illness in a minimal time span; usually infections and contagious sickness take several days to show up in another human.:**

:_You obviously already know why, I assume?_: Optimus responded, knowing that Ratchet probably wouldn't have contacted him with the information without first finding out what it was.

**:I'm viewing a live signal from the link-chip now; and I think that the state of the link is effecting her immunity. That's why she became sick so quickly.:**

The leader felt a strange flutter of worry in his chest. If her immune system was being faltered, did this mean that she was likely to get worse; or become endangered by it? :_Ratchet, is it a threat to her?_:

**:Primus, no:** snorted the medic in response, sounding exasperated by the very idea. **:All it did was make her a little more susceptible to the virus, I imagine that if the bond keeps strengthening the way it has been today; then it will complete and her functions will be completely back to normal. After all the idea of a bond link is not to destroy the partner, it strengthens them; Pit I wouldn't be surprised if she had more of an immunity after all this.:**

Mention of the Sparkbond piqued his interest, and as he continued to trace his fingers lightly up and down the now dozing patient's spine he thought to enquire on it. :_What is the progression of the bond's status?_:

He heard Ratchet give a snorting chuckle; clearly amused by something that he could see on the screen, before he answered his leader. **:When she left to take care of the girl yesterday afternoon, it was at 71 percent.:**

Optimus looked down at Tessa, and then to the cup of boiled 'water soup' that he'd prepared for her to have once it cooled. He wasn't even sure if it would taste any good, but it had been the best that he could manage; given that he had absolutely culinary skills to speak of, he was a _robot_ for Primus' sake… Shaking his head, he pressed his finger to the Holoform's tragus once more, wanting answers from his medic. :_And what do you think that has to do with Tessa's illness? Is it halting the process?_:

**:Just the opposite, Optimus…: **Ratchet replied curiously, **:It's now sitting on 82 percent…That's the biggest jump in progress since it initiated, Prime.:**

:_Then…Ratchet what does that mean…?_:

Ratchet made a vague noise, and Optimus could just picture the bot shrugging his shoulders in that nonchalant manner than the medic was known for. He could hear the beeping of holographic keys, clearly Ratchet was graphing something, or bringing up reference information.

**:I predict about another three or four days before that link is complete, Optimus.:**

:_What can we expect from that? Have any more risks presented themselves?_:

**:Apart from Tessa's reports of the feeling in her chest getting heavier and more intense, no. But we need to be prepared for anything; we didn't even notice that her immune system was low, so there's no telling what else could be going on.:**

Optimus felt the Holoform's brow furrow in confusion, :_But you have been monitering her, you have noticed nothing out of the ordinary?_:

**:Her vitals are fine, Prime. **_**If**_** the Sparkbond is having any sort of adverse effects, then I can't see them. Her heart is functioning normally, her brain activity is regular and her respiratory system, aside from being a little congested at present, is functioning just fine. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she takes all her necessary remedies. I think the jump of the bond is over with; it's resumed steady progression now. Get her healthy again, and then I will have her in the bay for another check-up.:**

:_Understood. Thank you, old friend._:

**:Signing out.:**

With Ratchet gone from the line, Optimus returned his hand to Tessa's back and ran his palms tenderly down either side of her spine, glad that there did not seem to be a method to this form of physical therapy; because if he was honest with himself he had absolutely _no_ idea what he was doing. He compared it to the untangling of a Cybertronian's neural underlines, wires that could quite possibly become tangled and strained; equating to what humans could compare to muscle cramps. His eyes focused a little, prodding just a little firmer with his fingers and noticing that in fact human musculature, while different in many ways, was also very similar. He could feel the inconsistencies in the tension and notice the way certain spots felt firmer to the touch.

Curiously, he pressed his thumbs to the curve beneath her shoulder blades where the surface was firmer to the touch, and pushed down with slight pressure.

In response, Tessa wriggled and gave a surprised gasp that turned into a groan. Apparently she had not been asleep, but simply relaxing.

"Oh my _God_! That feels awesome." she hissed stuffily, the congestion in her sinuses making her voice sound deeper as she reached for the tissues on the bedside to blow her nose, making her cringe in disgust at having to do so. "Gross…"

She heard him give a chuckle at her actions, and to his surprised she shifted her leg on the bed to kick him playfully, even though in her drained state there was no strength behind the action.

"Don't laugh, it isn't funny you asshole." She snapped semi-seriously. She knew she was feeling a little irritated at the situation, having to be stuck in bed with tissues on her bedside rather than at work with the family she had come to adore. Her head smacked into the pillow with a muffled 'thump' before she spoke into it, muffling her voice. "I'm sorry."

He turned his hand and grazed his knuckles slowly down her spine as he gave a rumbling chuckle, genuinely amused by the endearing mood swings. "There is no need to be sorry." He said firmly, "You are ill, I understand."

She gave a mumbled huff into the pillow before muffling out, "I wish I could kiss you. Ugh…stupid gross, infectious virus…"

In response to her complaint, Optimus leaned over and planted a kiss to the skin of her upper back, feeling the burning heat of her skin against the Holoform's lips. His brow furrowed in concern about the temperature as he trailed light, apologetic kisses up to the back of her neck, pushing her hair aside to do so. In the crook of her neck, it was much warmer; the skin was almost searing, and this made up his mind.

"I want you to have more of that temperature remedy." He murmured against her skin.

He heard her give an exasperated groan, "Shit, really? That tastes _disgusting_ though…"

With a seemingly frustrated growl, he snaked a hand from her back around her waist, sliding across her stomach and pulling her into him, causing her to sit up. "You sound as argumentative as Lucy, and this time _I_ am the one maintaining the role of carer. Now," he planted a kiss to the searing skin of her forehead, "the medicine if you please, Miss Jackson."

With a weary growl, she rolled her eyes at him and reached for the bottle on her side-table, picking the measuring cup up with it. That was when she noticed the mug that he had brought to her. She recognised the smell immediately.

"Chicken soup…?" she asked curiously, genuinely surprised, "You…made _human_ food?"

He furrowed his brows and gave her an expression of hurt, trying to appear insulted by the remark. "You say that as though preparing human meals are difficult." He replied, acting as though he _hadn't_ been confused as slag when reading a cookbook. Unfortunately for him, Tessa _did_ know how to cook (_somewhat…_) and she had spent enough time in her kitchen as a teenager 'ballsing' it up for her to know that it wasn't always easy.

"Bullshit." She rasped with a grin, "It's not that easy. You've never cooked a meal in your life."

He tried to give a nonchalant shrug at her words, "Perhaps. But I am a Prime, Tessa; we possess a natural inclination to be skilled at most anything we try our hand at."

Her brow arched and her lips pursed to one side in a sceptical expression, one that Optimus found a little unnerving on her; it was as though she saw right through his white lie. Was this what it felt like when _she_ got caught out lying?

"Oh really?" she teased, "Did you use chicken stock in the soup, or beef stock?"

Not missing a beat, Optimus answered her; deciding that since it had been 'chicken' soup he'd first read about, he went with the safer option. "Chicken."

Her brows went from arched, to playfully furrowed the next as she decided to pull a trump card; deciding to play along and make him slip up. Besides, this little banter was helping her avoid the horrible tasting medicine he wanted her to take.

"How much milk did you put in the soup?" she asked seriously.

He faltered. Had the recipe said anything about milk? He didn't even know, because he'd given up and used the powdered soup before even finishing reading the recipe page. "The…uhhhre_quired_ amount, from the recipe."

"…So, one cup then?" she asked, faking sincerity. Optimus was far too concerned with trying not to admit defeat, to notice the tiny smile quirked in the side of her mouth.

"Y..es?"

"Ha!" she rasped, her exclamation resulting in a coughing fit before she looked up at him with a victorious smile, "There _is_ no milk in chicken soup, Chief. It's a broth. I win." Playfully, he rushed her and pushed her back on the bed to pin her on her back with his hands braced either side of her shoulders, making her head spin from the sudden movement; but she couldn't bring herself to care because she was thoroughly _enjoying_ the smug expression on his face. With a nasally, rasping giggle, she brought a hand up and poked him in the chest. "Aww, did I emasculate a _Prime_? Whatever will I _do_ with a man who can't cook?"

He leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead, the searing heat of her skin reminding him of the remedy that she seemed to be so happily avoiding. He smirked knowingly against her forehead before sliding his palm under the small of her back and slowly drawing her into a sitting position. He was surprised by just how…s_illy_ the drowsiness was making her, and he decided that the antiemetic tablets she'd taken were probably to blame.

"While it seems I may not be a culinary master," Optimus said teasingly, "I did manage to operate the water boiler to make the simple powdered soup in your food stores. Now, medicine."

"Aw, it's not like _you_ to give up and take the easy way out…sure you don't want me to teach you how to make it properly? Might take a while, but if it's in the interest of knowledge, right…?"

"Tessa, _medicine_." He ordered her firmly, his eyes glittering with teasing mirth.

"Uuugggh...Yes _doctor_," she snipped, placing a hand over his face and shoving him playfully back away from her before measuring out the required dosage of the horrid red liquid that would lower her temperature. "God, when I get back to base, I am _so_ going to polish your paint with acetone for this, you jackass truck."

"You wouldn't." he said confidently, knowing the effects that acetone had on polish and paint; stripping it back to base coat.

Tess took the medicine and cringed violently before setting it back down on the table, glaring at it as though it had personally insulted her; then she turned to him with a cheeky, rather bleary grin through her drowsiness. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure…" she teased, "You might look sexy under all that custom paint. Besides, we need to paint you black and white for your tuxedo!"

"You will _not_ be stripping my paint." He said indignantly.

Tessa couldn't help herself, she laughed at him; a hoarse, terrible laugh…but she didn't care what it sounded like. He was just too cute; he was just like a regular male with a fancy expensive car. Optimus was not a superficial or shallow being, but he took much pride in his appearance and his paint job; regardless of how willing he was to scratch it in battle to defend others. Every male liked to look nice, and having his paint stripped was clearly something _not_ on his to do list.

"Oh, I dunno Chief…" she purred huskily, surprising Optimus by just how much more…_sultry_ a sore throat made her sound. She could be dangerous like that, he realised humourously; especially with the teasing, playfully seductive way she was smirking at him as she continued her retort, "I kind of like the idea of _stripping_ you."

He gave an endearing chuckle at the double innuendo she was trying to slap in his face. Shaking his head he sighed and picked up the mug from her side table. "Then perhaps one day I will show you my protoform."

This seemed to catch her attention as he handed her the cup of instant soup. "Protoform? What's that?"

"The base build of my body beneath my armour. Perhaps when you are well, and strong enough…I will show it to you."

"Hmm…I think I'd _like_ that."

She grinned deviously at him, but her intimidation tactic was cut short by having to cough again, and then she handed the cup to Optimus so that she could blow her nose again; he found it amusing that _she_ was more disgusted by the functions of her body than a foreign alien was of it.

That was his Tessa, unusual as always.

With an understanding and sympathetic expression, he handed the mug back to her and watched her fingers curl around it as she drank from it. It was interesting to think that he hadn't yet shown her the protoform, but then again it made sense; Cybertronian lovers could go eons before seeing their partners in raw, vulnerable form like that. Removing one's armour was usually only done during the first few millennia of a Cybertronian's life, when the protoform was still growing in size the armour would require regular 'shedding' into something more size appropriate; and a new alternate mode would have to be used. But Tessa was only human; her lifespan was much shorter, and they did not _have_ the eons in between that Cybertronians did to gain trust like that.

Looking over at her, he felt his Spark hum contentedly as it observed her; loving and appealed even in her ill state. It would love her in any form, any state, any existence; it was the way of a Sparkbond, even if _theirs_ might not be complete. Completely content, he felt a satisfied smile cross the features of the Holoform before she gently placed the half empty cup back on the side table and slid onto the pillows of the bed, looking up at him.

"Hey, culinary husband." She stated hoarsely, a slight smirk crossing her features as she regarded him returning her gaze.

"Yes?" he responded, feigning disinterest at her jibe at his cooking skills, or lack there-of. Her grin widened as she crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, feeling drowsiness pulling at her now that she had actually laid back down.

"…Your soup sucks."


	97. The Tide Began To Rise

**Yay! Tessa's not sick no moooore! Not a lot to say on this chapter, because I'm late for work. Hahaha. Leave reviews for me to read when I get hooome!  
>Love you all!<strong>

"Oh Primus, there goes any chance we had at peace and quiet!" Ironhide barked as he watched Tessa walk through the hangar doors behind Optimus.

Her head turned to him as he addressed her and she grinned. She was trying to ignore the new feeling that had developed in her chest over the last few days; the sensation that the bond was creating on her heart.

Instead of it feeling like her heart was being pressed against by an internal force, it had taken on more of a piercing, tugging factor. Like there was a hand cased around her heart, trying to push it out of her ribs from behind. She had not mentioned this increase to Optimus, because she assumed it was just the next step of the Sparkbond's progression, and she didn't want to risk doing anything that was going to stop it.  
>Besides, surely Optimus felt the same thing too? Given that the bond was, in every sense of the word, a connection? Maybe it just didn't feel as strongly to him because he was a Cybertronian, after all; they were <em>supposed<em> to Sparkbond. Humans, however, were not.

Looking up at the weapon's specialist, she felt a warm feeling within her chest that had absolutely nothing to do with the Sparkbond link; it was the feeling of love and familiarity that she felt. Warmth and affection that she felt towards the surrogate 'brother' that Ironhide had become to her over the near 2 years that she had been at N.E.S.T.

Ignoring the pang that encased her heart from the bond link, she pointed up at Ironhide and retaliated to his jibe with a grin.

"Oh, admit it you hissy old boiler, you missed me."

He snorted visibly, "Oh absolutely…like a hole in the processor."  
>"Same to you."<p>

"You don't _have_ a processor." He retorted with a sneer.

Tessa grinned back at him with her hands on her hips, "No I don't; and _you_ don't have a hole in your head…Want me to fix that?"

With a playful snarl, she heard him activate one of his cannons and aim it in her face, forcing her to have to manoeuvre around the barrel of it; the energy within it lighting up her features eerily as he sneered at her. "_Try it_."

Scoffing, she reached over and shoved the cannon aside with both hands, pushing it away from her body with a comfortable, and unthreatened laugh. This little game of 'my-gun-is-bigger-than-your-gun' was a common one between them, and Tessa had complete trust that Ironhide would never genuinely pull a weapon on her.

"Now, now Grandpa; put your glasses on before you aim. You _know_ your eyesight is getting bad with old age!"

A few seconds passed before a click was hear, followed by the sound of the weapon powering down and Ironhide removed the gun from her presence. He looked down at her with a cocky expression, his tone gruff and teasing as he spoke. "You seem to be quite loaded with insults today, Squishy." He barked at her.

In response Tessa shrugged, absently rubbing the aching space where her heart resided; trying to ease the annoying, piercing pressure that was there. "What can I say, big guy? I've had two days confined to a bed to come up with them; seeing as the _boss_ over there-" she shot a mockingly annoyed glare at Prime, who did nothing but shake his head with a knowing and amused smile, "-didn't let me do anything."

"You required bed rest." Optimus said firmly, though his voice hinted at a teasing from of humour, "Medic's orders, I'm afraid."

She crossed her arms and shot him a wry, mockingly annoyed expression, "Maybe so, but was forcing me to eat your crappy tasting soup really all that bene_FICIAL_? WHOA!"

Tessa's last words erupted into a squeal as Optimus' hand reached down and curled around her hips, lifting her up to his face with an amused expression as she gasped at the height change, gripping his fingers in surprise. His expression went to one of playful nonchalance as he relaxed his hand, allowing her to stand on her own two feet instead as he spoke.

"Perhaps it would have been best for you to take the fever remedy _without_ any of that soup to wash it down?" he threatened lightly. He was surprised by her dropping into a cross legged position with her elbows rested on her knees, and her fingers laced together to support her chin on them. Her expression was wide-eyed and playfully innocent as she spoke.

"Aww…did I hurt your feelings? I'm sorry. I love you, baby; but you can't cook." She giggled.

Ironhide snorted from next to them and gave an audible laugh, "I don't believe this…of all the creatures in the universe to have a slagging _Prime_ wrapped around their finger, it has to be the most annoying, _scrawny_ fleshy on the face of this planet."

"Hey!" Tessa snapped, pretending to take offense. Her mood was at an all-time high, being back amongst her robots, feeling like she had come back _home_, "That's _Mrs_ annoying-scrawny-fleshy to you!"

She heard a hollering set of laughs from below her, and she realized immediately that it was the twins; their forms a welcome and familiar sight that made her smile as they spoke in that grammatically incorrect, racially confused way.  
>"Bu' we thoughts youse wasn't bonded yet!" Mudflap exclaimed, pointing at Tess and Optimus with a genuinely confused expression. However his brother's clip upside his head drew her attention.<p>

"No _stupid_!" Skids drawled, "Mrs is one-a them _human_ things! They's gotta get dressed all fancy an' read stuff ta each other!"

There was a moment of quiet before Mudflap rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "…Readin' _sucks_."

Tessa fell back onto Optimus' hand with laughter and allowed herself to sit there for a few minutes, before a sharp pain in her chest cut her laughter short. Thankfully the rest of the company in the hangar was to distracted to notice the fact that she'd stopped laughing, and curiously she rubbed at the ache; feeling it subside after a few moments, and she proceeded to stand once more.

"It's not so much actual _reading_, Mudflap!" she said understandingly, "It's more like having notes, to remember what you want to say. Humans do it at weddings so that they don't forget the words they want to tell their partner." She looked up at Optimus with a quirked lip, a smirk in the corner of her mouth, "Not that Mr 'Eidetic Memory' here would really need notes."  
>"Wait, hold up a second…" came Sideswipe's voice, cutting in to the light-hearted conversation. "…you mean…you two are <em>seriously<em> doing that human marriage thing? Isn't that the same as Sparkbonding?" he appeared rather confused by the statement, "If you guys are already trying to complete the bond, what's the point in doing it the human way ? Human unity doesn't have any form of permanency anyway! Don't they have that 'devoice'...uh… 'dervice' thing that they do when they want to separate lives?"

"It's called _divorce_ Sides," Tess corrected him gently, "and yeah…I know that a _lot_ of humans get divorces, hell even my parents are divorced. But it's different for me and Chief. I think…that if we're going to be technically 'married' the Cybertronian way, why not mine as well? My mom will have a _fit_ when she finds out."

She slapped her palm to her face, as if only just realizing the true magnitude of what her mother would do. She heard a chuckle from the cat-walk, and noticed Lennox and Epps were there, Graham as well. How had she not even noticed them? Then again, compared to the massive alien robots hogging the hangar space, it was very easy to forget that people existed there two. After all, the Autobots were _certainly_ a little larger than life.

"So, you and big bot are actually…_engaged_?" Epps asked disbelievingly, a grin causing his pearly white teeth to split his dark features.

Tessa looked up at Optimus, and to everyone's surprise, she shrugged, "I dunno, I guess so." She smiled.

"You _guess_ so?" Graham asked with a laugh, "That's not what the answer is supposed to be! You're supposed to act like a teenager, squeal and show everybody your engagement ring. Who asked who?"

"..Asked?" came Optimus' curious tone from above her, confused by the sentence, "Asked what, Graham?"

Tess shook her head, "Nothing, Chief; it's fine. It's just a stupid tradition-"

"-No, no, no." Lennox said with a grin, looking at Tessa with a rather cheeky expression that made her furrow her brows at him. "By tradition, Optimus, you two won't be engaged unless you _ask_ Tessa to marry you-"

"-That's such a _lie_, Lennox!" she retorted, "Girls ask guys _all the time_ these days!"

"Yeah, but it's _supposed_ to be the guy that asks."

Tess flinched internally at the minor sporadic jolt that went through her chest. Out of curiosity she looked at Optimus to see if he'd made any signs of feeling the same thing she had, but the only thing she noticed was his look of confusion towards Lennox's statement, so Tess decided to ignore it for the time being. She was going to Ratchet for a check-up today anyhow; she could explain it to him then.

"I don't understand," Optimus said slowly as he looked down to Tess, "why you never mentioned this tradition to me…"

She shook her head in frustration, "Because it's a _stupid_ tradition. You love me and I love you. You don't need to ask me, and I don't need to ask you; we decided this thing together."

"Even so, if there is…a _proper_ way to do this, then I would like to comply." Optimus said seriously, looking over to the soldiers and ignoring Tessa's protests and arguments. "How is this tradition…_performed_?" he asked.  
>Tessa smacked her hand to her forehead with an audible <em>slap<em> as she watched Epps, Lennox and Graham grin up at her, looking for _all the world_ like The Three Stooges. She didn't really _want_ them convincing Optimus that he had to ask her for an engagement, they'd already talked about it and agreed that it would be nice to be technically 'united' in the eyes of both their cultures; even though Tessa had her scepticisms on marriage, for obvious reasons. With a sigh though, she knew that the three soldiers would not let up until they had confirmed this information; especially now considering that Optimus had _asked_ them for it.

"Well, what you have to do, is take her somewhere nice." Lennox started, having his sentence finished by Epps instead.

"Yeah, take her to dinner or somethin'…" Epps paused, remembering that Cybertronians didn't eat, "Or…uh…I don't know, a _truck rally_ or something."

Graham laughed and shook his head at the other two before looking up at Optimus and shrugging, "Basically, Optimus; you're supposed to be romantic towards her and then get down on one knee and ask her to marry you."

"Argghh!" Tessa growled, half in irritation, the other half a disturbance caused by the pressure in her chest; it was starting to get really annoying now. "Will you guys stop!" she pleaded, turning to place a hand on Optimus' face as the pain ebbed back again, "Chief, _listen_ to me, okay? I do not want, need, or require you to get down on a knee and ask me to marry you. We're bonding the Cybertronian way, that's a joint decision. And then after, we might decide to get married the human way. I mean Hell, all we'd need is a blind priest who can't see you… and there's no need for some stupid piece of paper saying that we're legally married, because according to all legalities, you don't exist. Don't get any stupid ideas from _these_ three monkeys; you don't need to follow some stupid tradition.

"Tess," Lennox laughed, "why are you so _against_ having him ask you to marry him?"

"Because he shouldn't need to!" she exclaimed imploringly, "Guys _please_…Optimus, don't okay? We don't need things like this; I'd be happy just to share a bond with you, the human way doesn't mean anything compared to that. Marriage is flippant, in a way…it can be taken away just as easily as it's given…"

She gave a heavy sigh and pressed a hand subtly to her heart, trying to ease the pressure there. To her surprise, the heard Optimus vent a heavy sigh and press his face against her gently, "Are you saying that _we_ would become…flippant?"

"No, Chief; that's not what I mean." She said reassuringly, putting her hands up to his face to trace the metal plating. She didn't miss the low rumble that registered up his chest as her fingers dipped between plates and traced the nicks and grooves in the surface, "It's just that…I don't know, maybe it was seeing my parents' divorce…I just don't feel like we _need_ it. I mean, we can choose to, but I don't want it to seem like you _have_ to. That's all."

She heard him give a deep, baritone chuckle at her. "Well, I would _like_ to. And if that includes following the tradition of requesting it of you, I would like to try that to."

Tessa looked up at him and gave a sigh, her shoulders relaxing a little when she realized that he was genuinely interested in following her tradition. Given her parents' divorce, she still retained a little concern about the authenticity of marriages, it had been that way since they'd split. Even though she carried every assurance that their union was guaranteed, because of the bond that would tie them, she still harboured that childhood fear of it not working.

_You're being an idiot, Teresa._ She scolded herself knowingly, _This is __Optimus Prime__ for Christ sake…_

"Okay…" she sighed, "Just…I don't want you taking any _over the top_ advice from The Three Stooges over there…"

She smiled and pointed a thumb at Epps, Graham and Lennox, who all tried to maintain relatively natural and innocent expressions, but Tess knew better. They loved teasing her as much as her brothers did…how many surrogate brothers did one _need?_ Then she turned back to Optimus with a resigned smile.

"I love you, Chief." She said firmly, "With or without a stupid, human law piece of paper."

He chuckled and touched the top of her head with a finger before speaking, "And I you. There is nothing for you to be concerned about. We – "

"–Well it's about _time_ you brought her back, Optimus." Came Ratchet's voice from across the hangar. Everyone turned to see the cantankerous medic strolling across the his leader with an amused expression, "I've been monitoring you through the mobile chip, Tessa; but I'll be much more put at ease once you come and clear the check-up again."

Tess smiled, actually genuinely relieved to have Ratchet there; she would ask him about the sporadic chest pains during the check-up. It had to have been something to do with the bond, because it felt, in a way…_non-physical_. Sort of like the pain one felt with a broken heart, in the sense that it was not a physical reaction, but a mental one; and she figured that the medic would be able to shed some light on to it.

"Oh, and Optimus I will need for you to come too; I want to ask you for the details of when she was infected, anything can aid us at this point and it is better to be safe."  
>"Jeez!" Tess cut in with a laugh, "You make it sound like I've got the freaking <em>plague<em>, Ratchet!"

The Autobot medic looked down at her, sitting comfortably in the Prime's palm with her legs crossed and her grin wide. She looked a little paler than usual, he noticed. Although clearly her sense of wellness was completely intact, because her smile was no less radiant than that of the nature she usually exuded and her attitude seemed as though she felt just fine.

Ratchet assumed that this was probably a good sign for her, a sign that the bond was not taking any negative effects on her in the progress it was making. The bond's progressive link had been steadily climbing during her time away from the base, and when Ratchet had left to find her only moments before, the bar had been sitting on roughly 90 percent completion. This would probably be one of the last regular check-ups before it started to progress into the final stages of the bond link, and that was when they would have to be ready for anything; he wasn't sure what was going to happen.

For all he knew, absolutely nothing would happen, and the Sparkbond would just…_be_ there.

But he was not the best Cybertronian medic for nothing, and precautionary measures were what he was going to take; whether they would be needed or not was irrelevant. The fact of the matter was that they were to be as prepared as possible. Pit, he even had reserves of Energon aside just in case there was some sort of reactive strain on Optimus as well; nothing like being prepared.

"Well," he said in a professional tone, responding to her jibe, "you _are_ a bacteria coated human…Who's to say you _aren't_ carrying an infection of a plaguing manner?"

She pulled a mockingly offended face as she got to her feet in Optimus' hand, putting her hands on her hips, "I'll give you _plaguing manner_ if you keep that attitude up! I'll be so annoying that you'll offline yourself from desperation to get away from me!"

He gave a metallic rendition of a scoff at her, pleased that she did in fact seem to be acting like her usual self; it meant that the bond was not affecting her negatively which was a very good sign. "Oh, really? I was under the impression that you were already doing that; you are _terribly_ irritating, after all."

"Oh go chew on a wrench, doc!" she laughed at him, shooting him a playful glare and sticking her tongue out at him childishly.

"How petulant." He retorted, appearing completely indifferent to the insults.

Tess smiled, knowing full well that he was showing her the only form of gruff, strict affection that he could; many would have thought that he was 'snobbing' her, but she had been working alongside the medic long enough to know his quirks and personality traits. His cranky, somewhat cantankerous exterior made him appear indifferent and clinical towards others, but she knew that his personality and humour came through in little things, like the way he would jest in a way that seemed like an insult if you didn't read into it far enough, or the way he would correct a mistake by instead demonstrating the correct way.

Tess smiled at the thought, and instead chose not to retaliate back at his clinical retort.

"Aww, I love you too, Ratchet." She smiled.

He chose to say nothing in response, and Tess knew that this was because he often brushed off affections of any kind; it's just how he was.

As they approached the medical hangar, Tess looked up at Optimus with a smile, "Put me down here, Chief. I can walk."

"Of course." He replied, gently lowering his hand to let her step off onto the ground before he turned back to Ratchet, "You have been monitoring the link, old friend?"

"Well obviously I haven't been sitting watching the bar crawling up in progress, but yes. I have it active on one of the screens at all times."

As the two bots walked ahead of her, Tessa followed slowly behind as her steps were dwarfed by theirs. But another hitch in her chest started up, and this time it was bothersome enough to give her pause. Her face scrunched up in a confused expression as she pressed her hand to her heart, trying to soothe it like she usually managed to do. However this time, the sensation did not ease off; and she gave a soundless gasp as she felt a sharp pain twist around her heart and snake down her spine.

_What…the heck?_

She looked down to the space of her chest, and noticed that there was a faint glow along her skin there, originating from beneath her flesh. She felt her stomach knot in panic and confusion, suddenly feeling frightened by the completely unnoticed change. Optimus and his medic were still ahead of her as they entered the medical bay, and Tessa made to call for their attention.

"Ratc – _Ah!_" she stopped short before her vocals could really gather any sound, and gripped the massive hangar doorframe as she rested against it. The pain was seeping in between her ribs, feeling like it was snaking painfully into every ventricle of her heart…and then into every pore of her lungs…

_I…I can't breathe!_ She thought suddenly, reaching up with widened eyes to grip at her chest, _It hurts, I can't __breathe__!_

Gasping through the wracking pains, she gave a shorted cry as she gripped the frame. "R-Ratc – argh – _Ratchet!_"

The two bots ahead of her, who had been discussing the progression of the link and the details of what Ratchet was going to go through with the check-up, turned to view the rather desperate address as she shouted.

That was when they saw her gripping the door frame, and her body trembling horrible, Optimus took a step towards her and spoke her name in a gentle, deeply worried tone; but she could not hear him, she couldn't hear anything. The pain was too much… With a pained gasp, Tessa clutched her chest and gave a scream of agony as the two Autobots made a move to retrieve her, now alarmed and terrified at her actions. But before she saw them even reach her, Tessa's world went black.

She collapsed onto the hangar floor.

**:O Oh noooeeesssss! Cliffhanger… don't kill me please. Hahaha.**

**Just remember guys; my plot twists always have a purpose…and this one is going to be WORTH it. Hehehe.**


	98. Scream

**See, because I love you guys so, so much and know that you want to know what's happening to Tess; I wrote this chapter up super-fast just for you.**

**Things are getting interesting now ;)**

**By the way, if you want the feel of this chapter that I got, then read it while listening to what I listened to whilst I wrote it. Link is below, just remove the spaces.**

**www . youtube . com/watch?v=di3SU4h-oP8**

**More shall also be explained in the chapter after this one, but I have to go to bed now hahaha. I will hopefully start it tomorrow.**

**Enjoy, you marvellous people you.**

"Tessa?" Ratchet yelled in alarm, "_Tessa!_"

The young mechanic's form was out cold on the floor, but before Ratchet could touch her, or do anything of the sort, he felt the presence of a distressed Spark, and he did not even need to look up to know that it was Optimus.

"Ratchet, what's happening to her?"

"I don't know, Prime; I need to get her onto the berth and do a scan." Ratchet responded, his clinically calm tone not able to hide his sense of alarm. There had been no warning signs to anything like this, and Tessa had not mentioned anything out of the ordinary. A sudden shrill beeping alerted both the mechs' attention to the screen of the progress bar, a flashing image of Tessa's holographic body scan alerting on the side.  
>That was not a good sign.<br>"_Slag_!" the medic cursed, folding in on himself and transforming into the Hummer; activating the Holoform at rapid speed. Practically leaping from the rescue vehicle, he took Tessa into his grasp and placed her on the human sized medical table, hastily hooking up the sensor pads and the readers to see her vitals and monitor her heart. But as he pulled back the fabric of her shirt, both he and Optimus were shocked to see the faint glow emanating from her chest.  
>"What in Primus' name-?" Ratchet exclaimed, pressing two of the Holoform's fingers to the source and looking at the screens that were flashing on her diagram.<p>

"A Spark?" Optimus cried worriedly, looking from Ratchet, to the screens, to Tessa's form, "Is that a _Spark_?"

Ratchet could feel the source, sense it; and he shook his head, "No. Absolutely no; her heart is still beating. Look at the live diagram, Optimus." He pointed to it sternly, trying to remain calm in order to keep Optimus level headed.

The Prime may have been a leader, but Ratchet knew the power that a mate held over a Cybertronian; the threat of losing them could send even the calmest of mechs into an uncharacteristic hysteria. But he was glad that Optimus was _relatively_ calm; not as much as he would like, but enough to heed his medic's orders.

Optimus saw the diagram and easily understood what Ratchet meant. There was no Spark in the chest, her heart was still there and it was beating…but that did not explain the situation.  
>"Then…what is <em>happening<em> to her, Ratchet? Why has she slipped like this? Did you detect _anything_?"

The Holoform went slack in a standing position, useless and lifeless as Ratchet transformed back into bipedal mode; fighting hard for concentration to keep the human from activated while he worked at the keyboard. He brought up the progress bar of the link, and was astounded to see that it was further along, now sitting at 94 percent. His Spark fluctuated in worry; this was the unexpected that they could not have prepared for… It was…

"…The final stages of the bond…" he murmured aloud, turning to Optimus, "She's in the final stages of the connection, Prime. It's trying to complete itself to – "

He was cut off by Tessa suddenly screaming in agony, her body arching violently and her teeth baring themselves in pain; her eyes glazed and deliriously unseeing. Optimus' little handle of control seemed to evaporate upon hearing her screams. Ratchet saw the pain that shot across Optimus' face from the realization that Tessa was in agony for whatever reason.

His mate was in pain.

With a sense of urgency, Ratchet's fingers flew over the key pad of the holoscreen, trying frantically to find the source; to locate _anything_ that could help him find out what was wrong. Tessa's voice cut off and she clearly took in a shuddering, gasping breath before her cries began again, and this time…it was a _violent_ scream. The medic cringed at the sound, his fingers shaking worriedly as he brought up notes, information; his optics scanning them at hyper speed to download the intel.

"Ratchet…!" Optimus growled suddenly, "What do we _do_?"

"-Slag it, Prime! I'm _trying_! I'm looking!" the medic snapped, not removing his gaze from the screens as his fingers flew over the keys.

The trouble was that there didn't appear to be anything physically _harming_ her body; the only clue was that centre of her heart was glowing with an almost Energon radiance, which was obviously _not_ normal for humans but as he magnified the scan, he noticed the minute, almost _microscopic_ streams of Energon that were flowing from it. The energy that was practically piercing her heart was not just Energon…it was _Spark_ energy. A non-physical, bonding matter that was the reason two Sparks could tie together at all. It was attacking her body with the Energon that Tessa's body had already previously contained…

"Optimus!" Ratchet roared suddenly, turning to his leader, who was watching helplessly as his lover writhed violently on the table, her lips pulled back in an unseeing, agonized scream. There was so much tension and fear throughout his frame. "The bond is sensing Energon! It thinks that she's Cybertronian; her 'humanity' is incompatible with its readings, it's trying to eliminate the non-Energon matter."

Optimus looked at Tessa, and Ratchet noticed the Prime's fingers twitch in desperation for the capability to _do_ something to aid her. "What does that mean for her? How can we stop it from causing her pain?"

"Prime, you don't understand. The bond is sensing your Energon inside her, it sense your signature; it thinks that she is Cybertronian! It's trying to _repair_ her; Optimus, humans are not designed for that! It could very well kill her, she could die from this – "

_**BANG!**_

Ratchet felt the oxygen near freeze in mid-cycle as his leader belted his fists down onto one of the empty metal desks with force enough to fracture the table-top, his head low as he turned to his medic, his voice low and…almost _dangerous_.  
>"Save. Her."<p>

Ratchet knew the tone, recognized the growl beneath it. It was the plead and demand that every Cybertronian would take if their mate was at stake, that desperation to do anything and everything that would ever be required to keep the lover safe. And Optimus Prime, who was so close to being bonded that he _had_ to have been feeling an intensified wave of emotions, was now not only ordering his medic to save his…he was _begging_ him.

His Spark grew heavily as he clenched his fists, cringing as Tessa screamed again, "I…don't know how…" he rumbled, his servos trembling from the tension of clenching them together.

A loud, mechanical whining was heard as Ratchet saw Prime's head lower to the surface of the table in despair, before the massive leader lowered himself to his knees, a desperate, keening sound of distress coming from his chassis as he practically deflated in sorrow. Ratchet was the best medic on Cybertron, and if even _he_ didn't know a solution…how was there any hope to stop the Sparkbond from attacking Tessa's system until she couldn't survive it?

Another violent scream drew their attention, snapping Optimus out of his despair as he saw Tessa writhing, screaming and arching on the medical table. His Spark hummed at a high, whirring pitch; sensing her distress and reacting to it. Desperate to soothe her, to comfort her, to do _anything _to help her, Optimus leaned to her form and bowed his her over her, gaining as close a proximity as he could; trying desperately to fight the pain her screams caused him.  
>"You cannot die." He begged her deeply, "Tessa, you must live! You were supposed to marry with me…"<p>

Another scream of delirious agony ripped through her and the female's back arched to the point where Ratchet feared that she would snap her own spine. Desperate to ease her, Optimus growled in despair and lifted his hand to place it on the glowing of her chest, his voice shuddering and static-filled.

"I did this to you…" he snarled, "This is my fault. You cannot pay for my mistake; Tessa, you must fight!"

An alerted sound came from Ratchet's screen, pulling his optics away from the lovers on the medical table to see the Energon within the diagram of Tessa's systems seeming to calm. Disbelievingly, he looked over at the two once more, realizing that Optimus had a finger pressed lovingly to her heart, and the way he was bent over her on the table was putting his Spark in proximity with Tessa's chest. He could see the space between their chests wavering; like the effect a mirage had on a hot desert road; it resembled a wave of heat, which meant that…

"There's a _connection_!" Ratchet roared suddenly, drawing Prime's attention, "Optimus, your Spark calms the Energon enough to stop it attacking her body! It co-exists, rather than trying to overtake! Look!"

He gestured to the magnification of Tessa's blood cells, and the cellular droplets of Energon within the blood were co-existing, just as Ratchet said; it was similar to watching water and oil. It could touch, but it did not mix.

"Move your Spark away from her, I need to see if this is possible…" Ratchet instructed.

Reluctantly, Optimus pulled away from her with his optics _burning_ into the magnified screen. Suddenly the Spark energy in her heart hummed and became a high, almost distressed pitch in tone. The two mechs' gaze focused on the imagery and noticed that the Energon had begun to fuse with the blood cells, trying to overrun the cells in her body, drowning them almost.  
>"Stop!" Optimus snarled, cradling his hand around Tessa's arching body and forcing his Spark as close to her as he could; desperate to stop her pain. "Ratchet," he pleaded, his vocals strained in fear, "how do we s<em>top<em> it…"

"I-" a ping from the computers drew the medic's attention for a moment, alerting him to the progress bar that mapped the stages of the Sparkbond's connectivity.

It was already at 94 percent, and the bar was steadily increasing.

An idea struck him, knowing that the Energon within her body would need to co-exist equally…one force could not be greater than the other; it had to _balance_ itself with Tessa's humanness, not try to 'repair' it…

"Optimus…" he said slowly, "I think…I know how to fix this…"

"How? Primus, tell me there's a chance you can save her, Ratchet." His optics shuttered as he pressed his helm to Tessa's forehead, wary of the size difference between them as he did so. Ratchet's fingers flew over the keys, bringing up a simulation as he programmed it. All of a sudden, the screams in the hangar were broken with a sudden loud exclamation from the Hummer-bot.  
>"A-<em><span>HA<span>_!" he roared, activating the programme, "Optimus, if we can balance the ratio of her blood to the Energon…I may just be able to stave off the attack until the bond completes itself…"

"And what will happen once the Sparkbond is complete…? How does that solve this?"

"Because, Optimus, it is the _process_ of the bond that is causing her this pain. That glowing in her chest is not Spark matter or physical Energon; it's direct _bond energy_ and it's trying to push through. Like a human trying to thread a needle; it's trying to find the eye to pass through. Once the link is established, I believe that she will be safe."  
>The Prime gave an uncertain, desperate hiss from the vents in his chest, looking at his human lover with aching, fearful desperation, "But…how can you be certain that it will work…"<p>

"…I'm not." Ratchet said bluntly, placing a hand on Optimus' shoulder, "But we have no other choice. Even if you stay there and keep your Spark close to her, as it slows down the Energon take-over, it also halts the progression of the bond. We need to perform the balance…"

Optimus was silent for a few long seconds as he watched Tessa's sightless eyes while she screamed, her teeth gritted subconsciously against the pain. Bracing his forehead against hers, he growled lowly from deep within his chest.

"Tessa…_Fight_ it for me." He begged her deeply, before turning his gaze to Ratchet, "What must I do?"

"…Become her life-support."

"What?"

"You heard me. The cable links in your chest, the ones that connect to your Spark directly, those neural lines must be connected to her, and you will keep her body functioning."

He set up the program on the screen so that he could get immediately to work once set up; once Optimus pulled back from Tessa's chest and separated the Spark energy, they would be on limited time to save her. Reaching over to Optimus, he pressed a hand to his leader's shoulder and gave him an infinitely imploring and serious look.

"Once I connect you, you are her only chance, Optimus. I need to feed enough Energon into her that it balances with her blood, like the human theory of Yin and Yang; Cybertronian blood and human blood must be equal matter or else they will destroy each other. Her life is in your hands – listen to me, Prime – you _must_ keep her heart beating."

"I will not let her die."

"Good." Ratchet replied, reaching into the space between Optimus and Tessa's chests and releasing the catch to feed out the cables from the Prime's Spark. The wires were live, humming with direct electricity from the leader's life centre as Ratchet moved them to Tessa. He looked at his friend seriously before Optimus nodded to him, signifying that he was ready to support her. As Ratchet brought the cables to the space where Tessa's chest glowed, the electricity in the ends of the wires crackled before arching out and sealing themselves to her chest, feeding into the pores of her skin.

Without any time to waste, Ratchet set to work; the robotic form of his going slack as his consciousness set itself back into the Holoform. This sort of use of the Holoform was difficult, switching back and forth, and the chances were that Ratchet was the only bot with the concentration to do so; but in any case he currently had no other choice because he needed quick access to both of his forms.

Tessa arched violently and _screamed_, tears of violent pain running down her cheeks as she did so. Clearly there was a strong feed through the bond, because Optimus gave a pained cry and dropped to his knees beside the human bed, but he gritted the dentas in his mouth; focusing on the feeling that was forcing its way through the bond. He could feel the sharp pain of her chest only dully, but as he focused and concentrated, he could hear…_blood_ rushing in his ears…he could hear the beat of her chest, every tense and quiver of the muscle in her ribs, and finally, _finally_ he heard the rhythm. Setting his internal sensors to an almost metronome-like ticking, he maintained his focus of keeping her heart beating at the same pace the entire time.

Ratchet's Holoform attached a drip to Tessa's arm, though not without difficulty from her writhing and convulsing, and he connected it to an empty pack-bag to collect the blood. This process was going to be so dangerous, they were literally replacing half of her blood with Energon in the hopes of stabilizing the imbalance, and he would be working against the clock as well. He needed to get Tessa's heart to pump the combined concoction of Energon _and_ her own blood, without rejecting it. For that to happen even _remotely_ safely, it was going to have to be perfect; millilitre for millilitre…he could not afford a single mistake.

Ratchet checked the progress of the link via his internal systems and nearly cursed. He started up an alert on the progression of the link's bar, so that he could be aware of it at all times during the process.

**95 percent**.

Moving as quickly as his Holoform hands were capable of, he linked a feed cable from the IV in Tessa's opposite arm and attached it to a minor Energon line in Optimus' forearm. "I need to use your Energon, Prime; it's the signature of the one that's already in her body…"  
>"Do whatever you must, Ratchet." Optimus growled deeply, his desperate, statically stressed rasp not lost on the medic, "Just <em>save her<em>."

The Energon line connected and began to filter. Ratchet worked as quickly as he was able, extracting blood while trying to control the flow of new Energon in to Tessa's systems. The scans he ran were constant, he could not afford to lapse them for even a bare second because the flow of either substance could stem of increase with a single beat of her heart. She was not screaming now, too fatigued to do little more than twitch and convulse occasionally; but all the while Optimus kept her heart beating, he kept her living. Even in the brief moment where her blood pressure lowered to a dangerous level, Prime kept the life centre going, feeding vigour and energy into the muscle with everything he had, determined even to the very _depths_ of his Spark, that he would not allow her to die this way.  
>They still had years. He could not let her go like this.<p>

**96 percent**.

Ratchet maintained vigil desperately, agonizingly noting every millilitre of blood that was lost, and every millilitre of Energon that was fed back. At one point, he nearly allowed himself to panic, because she was gaining too much Energon in comparison to the rate that she was losing blood, and he was forced to stem the flow of Energon from the filter in Optimus' wrist. He managed to make the balance stable again though, to his relief.

But the tightrope they walked was dangerous.

He could not do the process too quickly, because that would lessen his control on the measurements and ratio of each substance…but too slow and they would not complete the process in time to beat the link to completion. There was no telling _what_ would happen if Tessa's body contained an imbalance of Energon when that Sparkbond completed.

Ratchet was racing the clock, and time was short.

**97 percent**.

The link had jumped again to the next stage, and Optimus had all but stopped any communication, far too concentrated on keeping his mate's heart beating. He was not going to lose her…not like this…not on a medical table.

They still had years…

He had to perform the human tradition and marry her, he had to watch her live her life, to _grow_ with her, alongside her. He had so much left to give her, and she so much left to give the _world_. She would not die this way; not when she had so much left to do and see, he wanted to share his life with her without the war shadowing it, without the worry of Megatron in the back of his mind, or having to worry about the safety of his soldiers with every step they took.

He wanted to give her a world that was free of danger, that did not possess Decepticons lurking around every corner that might somehow see to snatch her from him; to snuff out her life like that of a meaningless insect. He could feel Ratchet working on his arm, and on Tessa below him…but he could not bring himself to truly acknowledge it; his processor was clouded with the strangest feeling. Images were hazy in his mind, parts of Tessa's life replaying to him, moments with her family, moments with him…he saw the events of her birthday, when they had first made love as one. He felt the warmth that she had to have experienced in her heart at that moment, he witnessed moments of anger, tasted her fears and smelled her sorrows. Then it occurred to him…

These were things he had not seen before…

Memories of her brothers, her father and her mother; scenarios in her life all criss-crossing across his optics until his head felt like it would spin. It went back to moments of bare comprehension, of infancy; of things that he had never been there to witness with her, angers and happiness and fears and sorrows; he could feel them all.

"R-Ratchet…" he choked, "The bond…Tessa's memories…"  
>"It's <em>working<em>!" the medic exclaimed in desperate relief, nearing completion with the blood-Energon solution transfer…only a few more minutes, "Optimus, it's working!"

**98 percent**.

A sudden sharp pain ripped right through Optimus' Spark and he gave a violently pained snarl. The feeling could have been compared to a needle with barbed wire threaded through it being pulled through his Spark; tearing and pushing and forceful; the tension pulling taut through his chest like a thread linking him directly to Tessa.  
>Ratchet was doubly distressed when Tessa screamed out at the same time that Optimus had reacted, but he could do nothing but try to complete the transfusion; it was so close now, only a few more millilitres left before the match was exact. Suddenly, a loud, electrical zap sounded from the centre of Optimus' chest, and with a snarling cry, he collapsed heavily beside the tiny human medical bed. Ratchet's Holoform could see that his optics had completely shut off, and that Tessa had gone slack in his grip. With a loud, hissing curse, the medic prayed to Primus that it was nothing he could not fix; he could not speed the transfer without making it too dangerous…but finally Primus smiled upon him; the last few tiny ounces of Energon entered her bloodstream, just as he removed both drips from her body; sealing each would as quickly as he could.<p>

Looking frantically at the two now seemingly unconscious patients, he noticed that the glowing upon Tessa's chest had become all but blinding; but before he could investigate it, both Optimus and Tessa gave a sharp convulsion before collapsing simultaneously.

Optimus' Spark cut short just as Tessa's monitor began to flat-line….

**99 percent**.

"Slag!" Ratchet cried violently as he reached for Tessa, trying to check her futile lack of pulse, "Fragging, Pit-scrapping _SLAG_! Wake up! Primus damn you both, WAKE _UP_!"

CPR would be useless on Tessa under these circumstances, and with Optimus' neural Spark wires still connected into her chest he could not even _get_ to her heart to try it. He could not tell what went wrong, the transfusion had worked; the measurement was perfect right down to the tinniest hints. How could something like this happen? He didn't even know the _cause_! Frantically, he scanned his memory banks, finding nothing.

With an angry, desperate snarl, he deactivated the Holoform and returned his consciousness back to bipedal form, hastily checking the simulations and stats that were flashing on his screens; trying to find something, _anything_ that could aid him. Human bodies only had so long that they could flat-line before bringing them back was futile, and the fact that Optimus' Spark had shorted out without any apparent reason had Ratchet chilled with worry. He was a medic, not a miracle worker! He knew nothing about this; _nobody_ would! Tessa and Optimus were uncharted territory, were Cybertronians and humans so incompatible that the Sparkbond would kill them _both_? Primus forgive him, he couldn't fix this; how COULD he? There were no histories, no references that he could turn to, no Cybertronian medicals that he could use as a guideline…it was completely and utterly new; an absolute and _blank_ canvas that he had no way to paint.

"You can't end it like this, Prime!" he snarled, desperately inspecting the wires coming from the leader's chest as they fed into that of his lover, "Don't you _dare_!"

A sudden, blinding light originated from each patient's chest, near shorting out the medic's optics before that same loud, electrical zapping buzz sounded through the air, followed by a metallic screech.

And that was when Ratchet heard Tessa's heart monitor spike back to life; the exact same moment that Prime's Spark reignited…

**100 percent**.


	99. Wrath Upon Ourselves

**Okay, for those of you who want a little more explanation on the whole 'system shut-down' that occurred between Optimus and Tessa, I used the concept of a term created by SouthernImagineer and haloangel1 on Deviantart called 'Guardianship'**

**The original concept is intended for more of a 'protection' or 'Guardian' bond, but I have tweaked a few of the details to make it better suited for the whole 'Sparkbonding' fiasco.**

**Here is the link to their study on the 'Guardianship' bond, and I suggest you take a look at it, because it will make the concept make a lot more sense.**

**browse . deviantart . com/?qh=§ion=&global=1&q=guardianship+a+study#/d413o5o**

**Also, you guys remember when Optimus told Tessa about the Sparkbond sharing their memories with each other, as in; their entire LIFE worth of memories? Yeah, I tried to accomplish that for Tessa in this one, because Optimus was them in the last chapter.**

**And Optimus has QUITE A FEW more memories than her, considering his lifespan :) haha**

**Musical inspiration that I used for this chapter can be found here:**

**www . youtube . com/watch?v=nXGPmn2rxLk&feature=related**

…**.really, **_**REALLY**_** hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It is by far, my personal favourite. ;D**

Tess couldn't make head or tails of what she was feeling.

There was pain…so much _pain_; in every fibre of her body…like she'd been thrown into a pit of needles and barbed wire…but _inside_ her skin. Her heart felt like a two-man bowsaw was being ripped back and forth through its very centre, and that every drop of blood in her body was on fire.

But in complete conflict to the pain, there was peace…

I sense of warmth, completion…of complete ecstasy within the fibres of her soul. Was it even _possible_ to be in so much pain, and so much peace all at once? Tess felt like her body was going to rip in two from the rivalling sensations, as though it was caught between a violent tug of war in which neither side was ever going to relent.

It felt like she was going to die, and at the same time she felt indestructible.

But the thing that frightened, amazed and comforted her the most, was the series of images and words flashing across her mind. Through the dark haze of her mind, she saw images of Optimus. She saw the Cybertron that he had shown her when sharing his memories, saw the people; heard the names and felt the _recognition_ of the faces.

And this time…it didn't slip away from here.

She saw comrades in their youth; saw Ratchet in the red and white medical armour he had to have donned on Cybertron all those millennia ago, saw the moments imbedded in Optimus' memories. She saw a female Cybertronian, and the name Elita One seemed to glue to the being, to the memories that she was witness to; saw that she was a former lover to Optimus Prime. She felt the love and affection towards her that Optimus had possessed, and found herself _happy_ that the being she loved had experienced such good things before; she also felt his sorrow and his rage upon Elita's death by the hands of Decepticons, Tessa felt the pain that he had in that moment.

She saw Bumblebee, saw him speaking without having to use the radio; realizing just how much different it was to hear him using specific words rather than snippets of songs and speeches. Ironhide came into her mind as well; his massive form gleaming a vibrant red in the Cybertronian city lights; he looked really, really _good_ in red! She found herself wishing that she could tell him, and compare him to a fire truck to his face.

She saw more names and faces that she didn't know, but that _Optimus_ knew. She could feel the familiarity that he did, surreal to Tess given that they were strangers to her. The name and face of a mentor, Sentinel, soaked into her mind; and she felt the fondness, love and complete loyalty that Optimus felt towards what was obviously the closest thing to a father figure that the Prime knew. She witnessed the training, the hardship, and the victories…all the emotions that had coursed through him at the time now coursed through her. She was watching centuries and centuries of lifespan seeping into her mind in the span of what she did not know were seconds or hours; as though time had absolutely no bearing until she saw every instant of his life.

It was _overwhelming_!

She felt the victory in her heart as she watched Optimus succeed his training, the moments where his mentor praised him; she tasted the shame and rage of his first kill, she experienced the doubt and self-questioning that he had felt when endowed with the title of a Prime…Everything that he had ever seen, said, done or experienced; was a part of her as well.

Then there were the memories of more recent events, and those of when _she_ had entered his life. She experienced the fear and uncertainty that he had felt in the moment they had almost kissed…before the Decepticon attack had separated them. Tess wanted to cry at the emotions that had gone through him upon witnessing her anguish at his return, when he'd followed her to the cabin of the naval ship.

The first time they'd kissed, their first tiff, the first time he'd touched her and held her and made love to her. She was drowning in the love, in the warmth and affection; it was so intense that she did not even notice the ebbing of the pain in her body, it was easing off and she took no notice.

She felt her heart break when she relived _his_ point of view from when she had tried to leave him, trying to protect him from an eternity alone; felt her heart breaking as his did the moment she'd said the words 'I'm not in love with you'. Oh God it hurt so much to know how deep that pain ran for him. She saw the conversation between Prime and her father, astounded by the sensation of eager acceptance that Optimus had felt at the time; she experienced the relief and _desperation_ that he had felt the moment he had connected his lips with hers upon his confrontation, reclaiming their relationship and everything that came with it.

His side of the Sparkbond process, the feelings of warmth and love that he felt towards her she felt too. She saw every order he had ever issued his soldiers, every kill that he had made; and every emotion that came with being the leader everyone relied upon.

Rage towards the plight of his foe, the doubt in his own mind of '_what if I lead them wrong?_' and the incredible, overwhelming sense of _guilt_ that suddenly flooded her mind.

Guilt of the soldiers he had lost, the friends that had been sacrificed…guilt to every Cybertronian lost to their war, the guilt of being unable to protect their planet itself…

Then there were images that she was unfamiliar with, new ones that clearly she'd never seen…she saw herself collapsing, felt the fear and genuine _terror_ that Optimus had felt in that moment.

Wait…she'd collapsed? When had she _collapsed_?

…And that was when she remembered being unable to breathe, the intense pain that had erupted from her chest and spread to her body, stopping her from feeling any sensation but pain. She watched through her lover's eyes at her writhing form on the table, seeing everything the way that he had. He had hooked her heart directly to his Spark, keeping her alive.

She had nearly _died_? What?

Tessa realized that Ratchet had been doing something with her blood while Optimus kept her heart functioning, something about needing 'balance' in some way? She couldn't quite grasp it, because she found herself feeling the same violent pain course through her that Prime had as both of their bodies had simultaneously shut down and stopped functioning.

That was when her vision went black again, as the 'film-reel' of Optimus' long, _long_ life finally came to a close…

She did not know how long she had been watching the visions of her lover's life…but eventually a muffling echo of her name began to pull her away from the inky black haze in her head. Was that…Sideswipe's voice? Or Ironhide's, maybe…? She could hear several voices all muffled and talking, low and gentle for whatever reason.

How did she reply to them? She needed to get out from this haze…

She tried to call out, but a crack emitted from her throat, dry and raw as though she had been screaming. Oh wait…she had been… the memory of seeing herself writhing on the medical table came to mind, but the vision was shattered as a hand slid behind her head, rousing her from her semi-conscious state.

Her eyes cracked open weakly, her eyelids feeling like they carried lead on them. Her slitted vision revealed the Holoform of Ratchet, his neon gaze actually hurting her eyes a little. His hand was behind her neck and he was urging her up.

"Easy, easy…" he said slowly, "…Can you sit up for me, Tess…?"

"Wh-" her throat cracked again, rasping, "What…happened…?" she whispered weakly.

He pulled her into a sitting position, but was forced to sit on the bed beside her and support her against his chest because her body gave out beneath her.

"Here, drink." He ordered calmly, his tone becoming that medical, clinical tone that he used when dealing with his patients; his raised a plastic cup of water to her lips in the knowledge that she would not be able to grip it on her own. "Primus, Tessa…we almost lost you."

"Is she going to be okay?" came Sideswipe's voice, drawing her attention to the silver bot standing a ways from the medical bed, towering over her. That was when she noticed the congregation of the rest of the Autobots…as in…_all of them_.

Ironhide was looking down at her with a serious expression, "If you had died on us, Squishy," he said warningly, "I would have hunted you to the Well of Sparks and dragged you back kicking and screaming, you understand me?"

She pulled a confused, weak expression as she murmured exhaustedly, "But…what _happened_…? Ratchet…everything aches…everything…"

She gave a discomforted groan at the tingling weakness that resounded through her limbs…like a full-bodied case of pins and needles all the way down to the smallest cell in her body. Ratchet nodded and laid her back down on the bed, placing the water cup on the side table next to it.

"I'm going to explain it to you, but first I have to see to Optimus and bring him back online." He said firmly, sliding off the bed and allowing the Holoform to disintegrate. The sound of the Hummer transforming into Ratchet's bipedal mode rang through the med bay, and that was when she noticed Optimus laying on the other side of her, his massive, metal form limp and his optics shut off. Tessa felt her chest clench in blind panic, "Ratchet! Is he-? What's wrong with him, is he okay? He isn't–?"  
>"-Tess, Tess, hey! It's okay." The distressed girl turned to see Lennox jogging over from where he'd been standing watch to reach the side of the bed and place a hand on her shoulder, "He's just in stasis, Ratchet had to put him under because of the stress; he woke up way before you did and I think he was freaking out a little bit."<br>"Well, as much as cool, calm boss-bot _could_ freak out without it being…not him." Epps' voice said with a laugh. He was sitting backwards on a metal chair that had been brought from the recreation hangar, his arms rested comfortably across the back of the frame, "You two sure gave everyone a hell of a scare. When we heard from Ratchet that you two were…"

Tessa looked over to Optimus' form, watching Ratchet doing something that was obviously going to bring him back online, she felt her heart ache with the desire to touch his face, to have physical contact and make sure he was _okay_… She turned her head slowly back to Lennox and the rest of the company, bots and human alike.

"How long…have I been out?" she asked softly, noticing that she could hardly even gather the strength to lift her fingers; her body was fatigued from evident stress. Epps and Lennox shared a look as though unsure whether or not to tell her, trying to decide if it would worry her. However it was Jolt's voice that cut in to answer her question.

"Three days." He replied simply, watching her carefully, "Optimus has been in forced stasis lock for the last two, so that Ratchet could let his Spark recover from the stress of the bond."

"Wait the…the bond worked…? Whoa hang on – _three days_? What the hell happened?"

A crackling sound was heard from next to her as Ratchet brought the Prime back online, his optics whirring to life as they illuminated themselves. Tess did not miss the way that the medic's shoulders seemed to slacken in relief once both his patients were conscious and aware. Clearly whatever process she and Optimus had endured, it had concerned Ratchet more than she was used to seeing.  
>As Optimus' optics came on line and his chest convulsed back to life, he gave a growl that sounded like a desperate call of her name, the tone thick and worried; he was calling for her before he was even aware of his surroundings…<p>

"I'm here, Chief." She said gently, causing him to turn his head and view her, his expression easily becoming one of relief. He turned his body to face her, his massive form dwarfing the human bed that he had been in stasis beside. Clearly Ratchet had been unsuccessful in trying to make him sleep on a berth; rather than next to her. His arm rose up to cradle the bed, dragging the entire thing against his chest with a loud scraping, and Tessa found herself _comforted_ to be so physically close to him. Why did it feel like she'd been without him for so long? It was like the feeling of going away for a year and finally being reunited with a lover…

"Tessa…" he vented in relief, his head bowed to cage her in his grasp, "You're safe… I feared that…"

"I'm okay… _We're_ okay…" she murmured against him, not caring that they were having such a relieving and intimate moment in the company of every single one of his soldiers, and clearly Optimus did not seem to care either, "…I'm right here…"

A heavy, relieved whine came from his chest as he held her, pulling her close. Ratchet cleared his vocal processor, finally drawing the Prime's attention away from the mate he had almost lost. The medic was standing in front of all of them, his attention focused on Optimus and Tessa, knowing perfectly well that the Prime was reacting strongly out of the worry he'd been experiencing since Tessa's collapse. With the Sparkbond finally completed, his leader's Spark had been in a state of distress waiting for its mate to wake; concerned for her life-source not recovering.

"Alright!" he barked suddenly, making all personnel in the hangar snap to attention at his ordering tone, "I want everyone but Prime and Tessa out of my med-bay."

"Aww, tha's no fair, doc!" Came Skids' whine, however the medic seemed to shut him up immediately with an almost _icy_ glare.

Ratchet had been overriding his stasis functions in order to maintain a vigil on Tessa and Optimus' conditions; and although Jolt (_who was a very __basic__ level of intermediate medic himself_) had taken watch one or two times, Ratchet had refused to do much more than 'nap' because he was the only one who had a chance of saving them if something went wrong. Namely the delicate, fragile human mechanic who was the more 'unknown' factor, because Optimus was Cybertronian; Sparkbonding was what his body was _designed_ for.

"I don't care about fair," the medic said sternly, "but you all wanted to stay until they were in the clear. They're in the clear, and _now_ I am going to be explaining the process to them."  
>"You don't think we're <em>all<em> interested to know why Tessa and Optimus almost died?" Ironhide retorted, his expression one of deep concern. Nobody needed to ask why he was so defensive, because every bot and soldier on base was well aware of his deep emotional ties to both his Prime, _and_ to the human femme that had become something of a sisterly charge. For him to lose either of them would undoubtedly have wounded him right down to his Spark, both as a soldier and as a friend.

"The shut-down wasn't death, 'Hide." Arcee said softly, looking at the couple in the bay with a knowing expression. She caught gazes with Tessa, recalling the conversation that they had had about Cliffjumper, and about bond strength, "It was a sync."

"A sync…?" Ironhide growled in confusion, "I don't-"

"-_Out_!" Ratchet roared exasperatedly, his servo pressed to his temple, "This is a private matter between _Sparkmates_ and their medic. If they wish to inform you themselves, then they are welcome to; otherwise, _out_!"

A discontented murmur rippled through the collection of bots, mostly the objections were from Skids and Mudflap, who were genuinely curious about what had happened, and Ironhide and Sideswipe; who both had a vested interest in their beloved human companion. But the gruff, strict medic ushered them all out without a scrap of sympathy for their curiosities, more focused on relaying the situation to his patients. When silence finally fell back upon the medical bay, Ratchet gave a heavy, venting sigh before turning to them, surprised to see Tessa already looking at him from between Prime's fingers. Her tiny form was comically dwarfed next to his, but neither of them appeared to care.

"Ratchet…" she murmured, "What did Arcee mean by…a _sync_?"

Standing himself straight, the medic began to work at his keypad while he explained, finding it much easier to explain things when his hands were working. "The final stage of a Sparkbond in a Cybertronian, is the 'Spark-Sync' which literally ties the two lives together via their life energy. It's something generally only known to medics, and the Cybertronians who have _experienced_ Sparkbonding; mostly because it's a fairly private affair done in seclusion with only the participating parties."

Tess gave him a confused expression, something that he managed to catch when he glanced in their direction, and he rolled his shoulders tensely, knowing that he was going to have to explain the whole process…including some new information that he had uncovered while she'd been unconscious.

But that could wait for the moment, he would get to that.

"Basically, Tessa…the bond requires what you could call a 'clean slate' before it can complete. It needs for both participant to lower every mental and emotional guard within themselves, and to do that it shuts down both Sparks simultaneously so that it can…_thread_ them, so to speak. This shut down stopped you heart, Tessa; at the same time it shut down Optimus' Spark."

"It…what? You mean I was…_dead_?"

"You both were, very briefly yes. In Cybertronians this would be normal, it would be expected…but with you being human…I didn't know whether to try and revive you or to let the bond try to process itself, because humans can only allow their hearts, lungs or brains to stop for a very brief time before it starts to destroy your systems. Thankfully the link brought both of you back…though barely in time, I assure you…"

Tessa tried to shift in Optimus' grasp, but found that no matter how much she strained, her body would not respond. It was like trying to grasp water; it kept slipping through her fingers; unable to hold or support it. She felt her chest tense in panic, frightened by the sensation of helplessness. "Ratchet, I…I can't move. Is there a reason I can't move-?"

She was startled by Optimus bending his head to rest against her, his tone a rumbling, gentle growl as it shushed her. "Calmly, Tessa…you are safe."

The medic turned from his screens and crouched down beside the bed with a sympathetic but professionally serious expression, "Yes, there is a reason." He replied sternly, catching optics with Prime, who nodded for him to continue; she needed to know. "Tessa, we were forced to remove some of your blood. Half of it in fact."

She choked from her laying position, "H-Half? Ratchet, humans can _die_ from losing that much blood! How am I even _awake_ right now?"

"Relax, relax." Ratchet ordered, his expression clinical but his voice reassuring, "I will explain, if you let me finish."

She gave a nod.

"The Energon that already existed in your body from your sexual conduct with Prime-" Tessa flashed crimson and cringed, but the medic was clearly oblivious to her embarrassment, "-was detected by the Sparkbond. It also acknowledged his energy signature, and all of these factors led to it mistaking you for a Cybertronian; it thought you human traits were _damage_ because they were foreign aspects that it didn't recognize. It was trying to 'repair' you as it would have done for a Cybertronian, and in reaction to that, it started to overrun your blood cells; it was killing you."

He did not miss the way she tensed, her eyes darting worriedly to Optimus, who cradled her close. She looked back to Ratchet, who waited patiently to continue his explanation.

"In order to counteract that," he started, "I was forced to create a balance between your blood, and Optimus' Energon; because in a Cybertronian's body, if our damage programs to not fall below 50 percent capacity, we are considered stable. Therefore we had to make you stable in Cybertronian terms, so that the bond would not 'repair' your cells into a state that would kill you."  
>"So...you…replaced half my blood with <em>Energon<em>?" she breathed in shock, looking between the two Cybertronians. Ratchet nodded.

"Yes, that's why you'll be quite weak for the next few hours until your body adjusts and grows accustomed to the matter.

"But…isn't that dangerous? I'm not…going to start turning into metal or anything am I?"

The medic scoffed and shook his head, "_Hardly_. You're human, Tess. Nothing can, or will, change that."

"…Good…" she exhaled. Both bots knew that she did not mean offense by the comment, and neither took it as such anyway. She was human, it was what she was _supposed_ to be, the way that they'd all grown to know her as. Changing that, even if it had been possible, would have been wrong.

"However…" the medic said heavily, shutting his optics momentarily before turning to brace himself over the keyboard of his holoscreen console, "There _has_ been an unusual…complication…"  
>"C-Complication?" she stuttered worriedly, "Like what? Optimus…has Ratchet told you any of this…?"<p>

He nodded against her, "I woke up while you were still in stasis lock…and that was when Ratchet discovered the…well…it is not what I would call a _problem_…just…"

"-Unexpected." The medic finished.

Tessa noticed that they both seemed very calm, considering they were telling her about some sort of complication…It couldn't be anything serious if they were so at ease about it…right? "Unexpected how?" she asked nervously, "Am I going to get sick..or…_die_…?"

"No." Ratchet said bluntly, "In fact…it's quite the opposite… The Sparkbond has shut down both your systems only to bring them back online again, and it has tied you together."  
>"Yeah…but what does that have to do with the 'complication' that you were talking about…"<p>

With a frustrated sigh, the exasperated medic brought up a screen of two wavelength frequencies, two diagrams. "You see these?" he asked, and she nodded in response before he continued, "These are two different readings, one from Optimus' Spark, and the other from your heart. What do you see?"

Watching the active diagrams on screen, she furrowed her brow in genuine surprise, "They're…they're the same…"

"Exactly. Heart and Spark beating in sync, there's a lie that connects your two separate lives. The Sparkbond was successful."

"Then how…how is that a 'complication' Ratchet?" she asked, "Just tell me what it is that's wrong."

"It's nothing that's w_rong_, Tessa. Just something that I would never have expected and certainly something I was not prepared for." The mechanic shot him an annoyed 'just get on with it' look before he continued, "Optimus' Spark senses a 'weakness' in you, a frailty which I can only assume is coming from you being human; physically you are naturally much weaker than we are. And it seems as though the Spark is trying to…_compensate_ the weakness. It can sense a much higher mortality rate than our own kind."

"So you mean…it's sensing that I'm going to die…? That I'm going to get old and…I dunno…_expire_?"

"Precisely."

Tessa's eyes widened at the bluntness of his statement, surprised by the seriousness that he seemed to be emanating. She looked at Optimus, who shook his head.

"I am not the one with your answers, Tessa. Ratchet wished to explain it to you himself."  
>Now she was starting to feel a little bit distressed, worry clenching in her chest at the lack of information she had disposed to her. "So it's sensing…'weakness'…then what…Ratchet, what does that <em>mean<em>? Is it going to hurt me? Is it going to hurt Optimus?"

"No. This is something I would never have expected before…something we could never have possibly predicted…Your mortality rate is the weakness, you age whereas the Spark does not; _Optimus_ doesn't. It is compensating by intertwining its own lifespan alongside yours; like strands of a rope, it's tied itself to you. Look."

He brought up one more diagram in the hopes of making her understand before he had to break the news. It was a live diagram of her body, of the blood, tissue, muscles and cells inside of her. But Tessa could not see what he could; the tiny filaments of nano-energy coursing with each vessel, drawing with each breath. He knew she was clueless, just by judging the expression on her face.

"Ratch…?"

"The compensation is preserving your being." He said finally, "The bond's life is strengthening with each breath you take. These cells here," the CMO brought up a magnification of some of her blood cells, like viewing them under a microscope, "are alive, but not growing; at least not fast enough for it to be acknowledgeable as growth. On a microscopic level, they should be actively able to be seen as an expanding, multiplying set of cells."

"…but they aren't?" Tessa asked.

It was Optimus who answered her this time, pulling the bed closer to his Spark so that she could feel the warmth. "Tessa…do you not understand…? The bond – my _Spark_ – is compensating for your mortality in such a way that it will support you well beyond your body's natural capability."

"Wait…you mean…?" she turned to Ratchet with a shocked expression as suspicion dawned on her. The medic looked at the screen as she viewed it with a new understanding, and he nodded seriously, catching gazes with the Prime before exhaling a heavy, hissing vent from his chassis and decided that it would be best to simply say it to her; there was no easier way.

"Tessa," he said flatly, his expression one of clinical calmness, "Optimus' Spark has stopped your body from allowing it's cells from growing and reproducing, they are mimicking his own growth process; which means that you will grow only as he does."

"Which…means that…I…?"

"You are not aging."

**Okay, SO…before any of you start on the 'this is a Mary-Sue concept' bullcrap…let me just say a few things first.**

**First off, I have not made Tessa Cybertronian, bio-organic, semi-machine built or immortal.**

**SHE IS STILL 100% TOTALLY **_**HUMAN**_**!**

**She can still get hurt, bleed to death, break her bones, and her body is still a gross, squishy fleshbag. She still needs to eat, drink and sleep to retain bodily function, she has no super intelligence, she has no super powers or abilities to link to technology; NOTHING.**

**She's still same old Tessa; the Bond is just…compensating for her.**

**I have done everything I can to try and keep this realistic and genuine and non-Mary-Sue for you guys, but I can assure you that if you plan on simply telling me '**_**this is so cliché**_**' then let me tell you something.**

**I am a sucker for a happy ending. And Optimus and Tessa deserve forever. **

**So don't bullcrap me saying it's Mary-Sue, because quite frankly, I don't care. My readers are always asking about how I can give Tessa forever, and this is how I've done it.**

**All my love to you guys, hope I lived up to the expectations!**


	100. Begin

**So, a little bit of 'coming-to-terms' with elongated life in this one for Tessa. She's conflicted, because she's glad she can give Optimus the forever he deserves, but she's trying to deal with the fact that she'll live as long as he does…meaning she'd witness the deaths of all the people she loves and cares for in her family.**

**I mean, think about it…If YOU suddenly had forever stretching out before you…how daunting and scary would that be?**

**I know that I'D freak out about it.**

**Also, I have decided the I AM RE-ENABLING ANONYMOUS REVIEWS.**

**Because many of my readers ARE in fact anonymous, and they should not lose out just because I'm worried about nasty-awful flamers. **

**So here's the new deal.**

**GENUINE desire to help improve the story is just fine, but if you're going to give me constructive critique feedback, you will do so in a SIGNED IN review. Because I REFUSE to deal with you bullshit flamers and your anonymous CRAP, you got it? **

**Any flames can, and ABSOLUTELY **_**WILL**_** be deleted, because I can't be bothered with pathetic 'keyboard warriors' who don't give a damn about the way they make people feel.**

**I am a NICE person, and I don't deserve to be trash-talked. I won't tolerate it again.**

**Anyway, on a positive note; this chapter is dedicated to the lovely miss Genevieve, whose birthday it is today.**

**Happy Birthday dearest, I hope this chapter makes a nice present for you!**

**HOLY MOTHER OF MEGATRON! THIS MAKES CHAPTER 100! **

**I will be writing a Oneshot to celebrate, and according to the votes on Facebook; pretty much almost all of you wanted to see Tessa's ex come onto the scene and give Optimus a reason to be protective. So I will be working on that next up.**

**Enjoy.**

"He…was your brother, wasn't he…?"

Optimus' body gave an exhaling hiss as he raised his head, watching her work with slow, deliberate fingers as she used the polish on his metalwork frame. She had been relatively quiet the last few hours, after having explained the situation to the rest of the team at N.E.S.T. He had not had much of a chance to speak to her about how she felt on her newfound length of life, and he would confess that he was a little discontented by her quietness.

"Who?"

She shifted a little under his gaze, not looking him in the eye as she spoke in a murmur.

"Megatron…"

He gave a heavy exhalation and moved his hand up to where she was applying polish to the hood piecing on his chest, scooping her gently into his hands to look her in the eye. He had never mentioned this to her, all she had known was that Megatron was the leader of the Decepticons; that he was the enemy.

"Yes, in many senses he was my brother. Not by blood, but by choice." He explained, "He was my brother-in-arms; a friend and comrade who I trained with in our youth. He held many ideals that I found inspiring, such as a casteless Cybertron, where everyone was equal to one another…but his views on the means of practically enslaving our people to bow to him as leader…did not."

"Chief…he _killed _you! I'd rather break every bone in my body than ever _kill_ one of my brothers…How could he do that, if you were friends?"

"Tessa, you must understand…war changes people. You are in many aspects, naïve to this fact."

She flinched visibly, but did not rebuke him on the fact; she knew perfectly well that she was not experienced in the horrors of war, they would not make sense to one who had not experienced them…But in a way, she did not regret that; nobody _wanted_ to be good at war. "I know…" she muttered, "I guess I just…I mean, I _felt_ how much he meant to you, when all those memories were flashing through my mind…I couldn't focus on them for very long, but I think I did see Megatron…at least, I saw a robot who you seemed to _attach_ them words 'Megatron' and 'brother' together…Chief…why didn't you ever _tell_ me that he was your brother?"

"Perhaps the same reason that you did not tell me that your most recent relationship before myself ended because he was unfaithful, or that you did not tell me that your brothers once put a spider in your hair. I did not tell you that Megatron was my brother, simply for the reason that I did not feel it was relevant. Is that…so difficult to understand…?"

She shook her head slowly, "No…I understand…" she looked up at him, clearly trying to push aside the taboo subject of conversation that she had brought up; whatever the past, Megatron was unimportant in his previous ties to Optimus, "You know…I don't think I'll ever get used to you knowing…_everything_ about me…I mean…I saw everything about you, but that's a _lot_ of information to process…My life is a lot shorter than yours, _and_ you have the ability to process and file stuff perfectly. You could probably bring up every moment in my life with better clarity than I could."  
>He gave a nod, "I could."<p>

She gave a slight, nervous laugh and rubbed the back of her neck, "Well…that's kind of unfair. I can't possibly remember everything about you that I was shown."

A smile quirked into his voice as he spoke; clearly somewhat glad as he said, "You have forever to _try_."

But he noticed the way Tessa's eyes downcast slightly at the suggestion, and he found his Spark sink a little with the influence of her emotion.

They had discovered that his reactions to her emotions were much more refined, than Tessa's were to his. Due to the fact that his Spark was _designed_ to feel the influence of a mate, whereas a human heart was not. Tessa's experience would be more a case of 'gut feelings' being influenced on her emotions.

If Optimus felt angry or upset, she would sense a very vague sensation of the feeling, whereas the Prime was able to reasonably categorize her feelings. The links between the emotions were not severe, and not influential over their _own_ feelings, because Sparks were not designed to overtake one another in any sense...they simply coexisted.

But he could feel the sense of Tessa's discomfort in the back of his chest, knowing that something was bothering her.

"Tessa…? Please, tell me what's wrong."

She gave a shrug and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, a habit that she persisted when she was concerned about something, "I don't know if I'll ever get used to _that_ either…"

Understanding crawled into his processors, _So that's what this is about…_

"You mean having forever…" he said knowingly, his voice a deep rumble as she nodded slowly in response.

"It's not that I…don't like the idea of being able to give you that Optimus, it's just…I mean – people are not supposed to live forever like you are, our lives are like the blink of an eye. We spend our whole lives imagining what the world will become after we're gone…You know, wondering what sort of future will be created; but we always know we'll never see it. I guess it's…just a little daunting to think that I'll be around to see it. What if the human race progresses enough to make hover-cars or something? That's something people only think of in science-fiction and movies; but what if it actually happened and I was there to see it…?"

A comforting, baritone growl rolled up his chest at a very low register that Tess felt in her bones as it reverberated his body. His face nuzzled against her as he spoke, "If that becomes the case, then I will have to get a new alternate mode for you to blend in better."

She felt her chest swell with affection at his attempt to cheer her up, to try and comfort her with small humour. Wrapping her arms as far around his face as she could, she gave a heavy, almost apologetic sigh.

"But…what about my family…? Optimus…I'm going to see them _die_…I'll see Lucy get old and die, my Mom, my Dad…Aaron and Riley…everyone… My whole family…"

"Tess…" he said gently, drawing her back to look at her properly, "you possess _two_ families. We will always be here, and although that does not replace your true family...know that _we_ will be here to comfort and protect you even after they are gone from this earth. You will have the chance to watch them _live_, Tessa; watch them live full and long lives."

A heavy sigh escaped her and she smiled up at him sadly, "Yeah…I suppose. I guess it's just going to take some getting used to, I mean…forever is a long time to live…"

Optimus paused a second before his next question, not entirely sure whether he truly wanted to hear the answer; for fear that it would be negative…but he needed to know.

"…Do you regret it?"

She pulled an almost heartbroken expression, and he faintly felt the sense of hurt and sadness that emanated from her, "God… _no_, Optimus! Of course not; being able to _give_ you forever is more than I could have ever hoped for… But you have to understand here…humans aren't designed to live that long, so the idea of having the whole of eternity stretched out before me is just a little…a little _scary_…It…honestly scares me…"

"Tessa," he murmured gently, "you have nothing to be afraid of; I will always be by your side. I promise, you will never have to face that alone."

She wrapped her arms around his face again and gave him as strong a squeeze as the angle would allow, before climbing gently out of his hand with a resigned smile. "Thank you, Chief…" she patted the metal of his chest, "Well, your polish is all done. I have to go and help Mikaela with some repairs on a few of the Hummers. You know, the ones that _don't_ talk back."

He gave a minor chuckle at her jibe before nodding and moving off the medical berth, scooping her up and placing her on the ground gently. He looked at her seriously as he stood, determined to put her mind at ease.

"I understand that the concept of such long life is daunting to you, Tessa, and that you fear for the day that you will lose your family…But even when that time comes, you will still have family here for you. With us."

She looked up at him with a genuine smile, honestly a little put at rest by his words. He was right…she would have the chance to watch her family lead long, happy and healthy lives; she would _get_ to see them through it the whole way. "You have training with Ironhide this afternoon, don't you Chief?"

He nodded, glad that she felt comfortable enough with her concerns to try and push the worry aside in favour of happier, easier topics. "Yes, I do."

She suddenly broke out into a familiarly characteristic grin as she looked up at him, "Well then, you be sure to tell him something important from me."

"Yes?"

"Tell him he looked better in red."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"You know…it's kind of surreal, the idea of you living forever…"  
>"Micky <em>please<em> –?"

"-I know, I know; you don't want to talk about it. But come _on_ Tess! See it for the good that it is, you guys get to be together forever! It's like a fairy tale or something. I mean, you get to say that you're _immortal_!"

Tessa pulled herself out from underneath the carriage of the military vehicle, her expression one of tiredness and weary acceptance. "I'm not…_immortal_, Mikaela; and I'm not invulnerable or invincible either. Ratchet ran some tests in the lab for me yesterday, and I'm still just as human as I was before; I can still die just as easily…just not from aging, I guess. He thinks that over time I might get grey hairs and stuff like that…but for the most part I'll just…be _this_…"

"Aw, come on!" Mikaela said with a smile, nudging the older woman to try and lighten the mood, "Staying young is every woman's dream, right?"

Tess gave an uncomfortable shrug and scratched the back of her neck, "Maybe, but I don't know…I guess at some point everyone imagines what their life will be like when they're old. I always pictured myself turning into some senile old woman sitting in a rocking chair on the porch of an old folk's home. I'd pull toasters apart and try to make some sort of toaster-car or something…I guess that now I'll just never get to do that…"  
>"So you feel kind of…cheated out of being old? But <em>why<em>?"

"Because old is what we're supposed to be, 'Kaela. We're meant to age and watch our kids grow up and yell at them for being a worse generation than we were. We're supposed to lose our minds and forget stuff and suck chocolate off almonds, and play bingo like vegetables…"

The younger woman gave a disbelieving laugh, "Tess…that's all _bad_ stuff! You _want_ to lose your memory and forget all the things in life that were good and fun?"

"No…" she admitted, feeling conflicted by trying to explain it, "…but I guess it just feels weird that I'll never experience those things for myself…"

"You can still pull toasters apart." Mikaela said matter-of-factly as she leaned under the hood of the truck she was working on, "You'll just be a _little_ bit less senile."

Tess smiled at the gesture, the fact that the young adult was trying to make her feel better by resolving to use silly, jibing humour. It reminded her of all the things that she liked about the younger mechanic, and she found herself admiring what a strong, genuine person Mikaela was; surely Sam missed her?

She noticed that she had not seen hide or hair of the boy, not since the ordeal with Egypt roughly a year ago. Bumblebee was not at N.E.S.T at present, seeing as he often left base for a few days at a time when things were quiet to go and see the boy; seeing as he was no longer the boy's official guardian anymore. Sam was no longer any threat or interest to the Decepticons, and therefore the scout could now devote his time to being a soldier; but she got the feeling that Bumblebee very much missed the young human that he had grown to care for.

Tess felt bad for the poor little Camaro, being caught in between both Mikaela and Sam, having an established friendship with both, but knowing that the two did not communicate. It was like when a mutual friend was caught up between two lovers who separated; except that this mutual friend just so happened to be a car…

She found herself with a heavy heart as she slid beneath the belly of the vehicle to fix the oil leak under there, saddened by the evidently tough position for Bumblebee. However her thoughtful, sympathetic musings were cut off as she heard the distinctive sounds of Cybertronian footsteps. Judging by the sound of them, they were not heavy enough to be Ironhide, Ratchet or Optimus, and the weight behind them exceeded what she thought to be either of the twins or Arcee. Mentally laying her money on Jolt or Sideswipe, she slid out a little from under the car and grinned to herself when she realized that it was Jolt.

"Hey, Jolt." She smiled up at him, clearly a little bit proud of herself for having pretty much guessed his presence by process of elimination; glad of the fact that she now knew them well enough to recognize them by their footsteps.

"Hello Tessa." He said simply, lowering his chin in a form of a respectful nod, "Are you busy?"

She looked back at the truck and paused, "Uh…well…"

"No, she's good!" Mikaela said with a grin, popping her head up from the guts of the engine, "Go, I can cover you for a tea break if you want."

Tess nodded back with a grateful expression, "Sure thing. Thanks 'Kaela. I'll try to be quick, I need to do checks on the other few Hummers before I finish up today…"

A mere wave of the hand was the younger girl's response, a simple gesture that implied 'yeah, yeah; go away' to the mechanic, an action which made her smile. She turned back to Jolt with a soft look on her face, half wondering what it is that he needed.

While she and the blue Autobot were on friendly enough terms, they did not really communicate on a personal or non-professional level; usually he only came to her in need of repairs, or she would require his aid with something that Ratchet needed of her. They were allies, but not necessarily _friends_, it was more of a professional, 'office' relationship than anything else.

"So what's up?" she asked, wiping her hands on her pants as she approached him, her head tilted back to see properly.

He looked to the vehicle she'd been repairing, seemingly interested in the work she'd been doing, before he turned back to her with a rather blank, neutral expression, "I wanted to inform you of some new information Prime discovered this afternoon; in regards to new soldiers."

"N-new soldiers?" she gasped, "You mean, more Autobots? That's fantastic! But…Jolt, why would you feel the need to tell _me_ this…? Not that I don't think it's great news, but…"

The blue Volt furrowed his metal brow slightly, appearing put-out and perhaps a little caught off guard. He seemed genuinely confused by her obliviousness. "You are the Sparkmate of a Prime now. His intel is your intel," he said matter-of-factly, "I thought you should be informed of the details regarding his find."  
>She paused for a moment, her palms suddenly going a little bit sweaty as the realization of the implication dawned on her; she found herself remembering a conversation that she had once had with Ratchet and Ironhide about Sparkbonding, and the resulting effects that it would have on them as Prime's soldiers…<p>

_Tessa felt an embarrassed blush cross her features as she spoke, confused by the sincerity in Ironhide's tone, "Sp-Sparkbond? Wait…doesn't that have anything to do with what Optimus did with the signature thing? Is that kind of like Sparkbonding?"_

"_Not exactly," Ratchet cut in, tinkering with some of the wiring as he spoke, "what he did with the signature was purely a marking procedure. That's a relatively standard commitment step amongst Cybertronians in a significant relationship. Then there's interfacing, which your species is well acquainted with in its own right…" the two mechs earned a violent red blush from the female before Ratchet carried on; seemingly oblivious, "interfacing, just like organic human sex; is able to be done without a romantic connection; for fun, but Sparkbonding is something much more binding. One who is Sparkbound will love only that one mate; and will never feel the same for any other."_

_Tess tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully for a moment, "Actually, I think I remember Chief saying that once before; he was confused about what the concept of 'divorce' was. Human's often don't stay together…" she huffed and looked up at the ceiling, appearing a little forlorn with the thought. She couldn't _imagine_ not having Optimus, just having to leave the base to go home for the night was bad enough. She _liked_ being around him, she _liked_ being around the Autobots. _

_This in and of itself was unusual for her, because although Tessa was easily a very friendly and amicable person; she spent much of her time being solitary. Spending her life covered in car grease and thinking up engines had given her little opportunity to really spend the time needed for lifelong friendships; mechanics was a singular hobby after all. Certainly she'd had friends throughout her life; but on the general whole she was rather socially awkward and tended to relate better to machines than she did to people._

_Just one more reason to love her Cybertronians. _

"_In any case," Ironhide said, poking her again to bring her mind back to the conversation, "When you and Prime are bound, I will be _your_ soldier as well as his."_

"_We all will." Ratchet added simply; closing up the panel on the stout, black mech's leg._

_The little mechanic shook her head at the two of them with a laugh as she placed a hand on her forehead; rubbing her temples gently, "But you guys don't _need_ to _do_ that-!"_

"_-Tess," Ironhide said sharply, "it isn't a matter of _choice_. On Cybertron; being the Sparkmate of a _Prime_ is considered an honorary title. As soldiers, we are programmed to protect our leaders; and in the case of a Prime's Sparkmate, they are dire to the leader and therefore dire to us."_

_Ratchet continued for Ironhide, clearly they were both well aware of this protocol, "If a Prime is killed and there is no new Prime to take over the role; his Sparkmate becomes a temporary leader until the next Prime is chosen. If you two were Sparkbonded, and Optimus were to die-"_

"_-_Don't_," she hissed achingly, feeling the familiar grief of when he'd fought with Megatron and really _had_ died, "God, please don't…"_

_Ratchet paused a second before he finished his sentence, "…in a case like that, then any order of yours would be treated as his own."_

She felt her stomach drop at the recollection, looking up at the blue Autobot with a suddenly concerned expression, "…Jolt…are you…_reporting_ to me?"

"Yes." He said simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

She pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger and gave a heavy, worried sigh. "You know…that you don't need to do that, right?"

He gave a semblance of a shrug, an incredibly human gesture that he seemed to have picked up over his exposure to their culture during his time at N.E.S.T with the soldiers. "I don't make the rules, I just thought you might like to know the intel; the information is important to Optimus, and as Lady Prime-"

"-L – Lady Prime?" she choked, recalling the way Ultra Magnus had used the term for her once. She'd thought it was just a play, just a joke of some kind in reference to her relationship with Optimus, but to hear it seeming to be used as a genuine _title_…? Her heart sank at the implication that she could now command the leader's soldiers as though they were her own…she didn't want that kind of power over the beings that she saw as her equals, if not her superiors; her _friends_, "Jolt please…please don't call me that…"

He noticed her change in posture, the way her shoulders tensed at the address and her fingers clenched. With a heavy, venting exhale, he crouched down on to his haunches and looked her in the eye with a serious expression, his tone level and matter-of-fact; as though he would not tolerate argument on the subject.

"_Tessa_," he said firmly, being sure to stress her name to make her more comfortable to hear him say that rather than the honorary title itself, "despite whatever you may feel towards the ability of leadership, you must understand that by terms of our culture…you are the Sparkmate of our Prime. The closest comparison to your people would perhaps be a First Lady your country's President. Whatever you may choose of this power, whether you use it or ignore it altogether; you need to be aware that it is still _there_. It wasn't my intent to make you uncomfortable, but accepting of the command or not; you must still _acknowledge_ it. To accept Optimus as your mate is to accept the customs that come with it; there is no way around it."

His blunt, somewhat minutely _harsh_ tone struck something inside her; and Tess found herself annoyed at her own personal insecurity. Of course being the life-partner of a leader would come with responsibilities, and if she was needed she would not be able to shy away…but for now, all she had to be was _Tessa_…she did not need to command these soldiers, and she would never wish to. They were here friends, and her companions; she did not want power over them, whether she had the ability to use it or not. She gave a slow, understanding nod, knowing that Jolt was not forcing that upon her, just simply giving her the facts as he saw them; an open and honest delivery.

"So…what about these soldiers…?" she tried, looking at him with tiny, almost sheepish smile as she crossed her arms uncomfortably. Seeing her desire to move on from the subject, he removed himself from her height point and returned to a more comfortable, standing position as he reviewed the information in his processors.

"Prime received a transmission signal roughly an hour ago, from a very small collection of Autobots. The signal was garbled, and very difficult to make out…but Ratchet believes they are following the invitation transmission that Prime sent out in search of lost Cybertronians."

She nodded thoughtfully in response. "How many, do you think?"

He shook his head, "That is still undetermined…the signal was too weak and too far from Earth's orbit to truly determine the strength and number of the signatures; but they are definitely Autobot energies."

"Wait…out of Earth's orbit…?" Tessa asked, "How far away are they?"

"Ratchet assumes their arrival to Earth in approximately one to two years. The signatures indicate anywhere between two and five Autobots, and with any luck they will be useful soldiers."

Tessa felt her heart leap in joy, the idea that there were more Autobots still alive in the universe; that perhaps the Cybertronian race was not as lost as they all felt it was. "That's fantastic news, Jolt! I'm so glad for you guys!"

He gave a short nod, "It is. This war will be a difficult one, Tessa…and many will be lost. Casualties are unavoidable in war, and you can be assured that Megatron is not in hiding without good reason. We must all be prepared for what may come; including you."

She shook her head firmly, "I'm not going to start dishing out orders, if that's what you're getting at. I get it, okay? Lady Prime, power of attorney over Prime's soldiers blah, blah, blah; doesn't mean I'm going to _use_ that. I'll do whatever I can to avoid it, too. So just…stop, please?"

He gave an exasperated, heavy ventilation at her words; clearly she was frustrating him with her denial as much as he was frustrating her with the implications. The only solution was a standstill, she acknowledged the power she had over them, she just planned to never, ever use it. Which he supposed wasn't an entirely bad thing; a small part of him might have perhaps found the idea of taking orders from a human insulting…but he had long since learned that humans had as much will and feeling as any Cybertronian; particularly the empathetic young mechanic, Ratchet had insisted many a time that Tessa's grasp of their mechanical medicine was astounding.

Perhaps that was why Prime had chosen her.

Giving her a curt nod, he took a step back from the little female; his tone respectful and genuine. "I apologize for upsetting you, but I am glad the intel has given you some joy; I must go. By your leave, Tessa."

A little miffed, Tess realized that he was actually _cheeking_ her by asking for her permission to leave. He was, professionally and respectfully of course, being a smartass. Rolling her eyes with a defeated sigh, she waved her hand in a 'go away' gesture before smiling.

"Yeah okay, okay…Permission granted, all that jazz; I need to get back to work."

He turned to go, as did she, but her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh, and Jolt?"

"Yes?"

"…Thanks. For the information…it's nice to hear some good news for you guys for once. I hope they make it safely…"

Jolt gave another nod before turning and finally leaving, his processor running on a rather intriguing train of thought as the human also went back to her own work.

As far as 'First Ladies' went…Prime had made a fine choice.

**Next chapter won't be up for maybe another week, maybe just a tad longer than that; because I have to work on the 100 Chapter Oneshot, and also do an update for Primitive Violation, my collaboration story with Ellmarr.**

**Also; keep an eye on my Deviantart Journal, as I will be posting an entry on how to create a basic, well-rounded and non-Mary-Sue OC. So any of you interested in the pointers, keep an eye out for that.**

**Much love you guys!**


	101. Stand In The Rain

**I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRRRYYYYYYYY!**

**I know that this update has been long in coming, but I've been suffering the WORST Writer's Block with this chapter, so it's mostly just ended up being some filler. But hopefully we're past it now, and I will try to get back to regular updates.**

**This one if a belated birthday present to my lovely friend Montana, or bee-rox98 here on Fanfiction, so this one is dedicated to you Monty :)**

**Also, the 100 Chapter celebration Oneshot has been written and posted, so if you don't have me on Author Alert; there is a new story on my profile called 'PriMech: Side Chronicles' and it will be a collection of Oneshots of 'behind the scenes' and extras that haven't made it into the actual stories. **

**Suggestions are very welcome, so if you review it and have some ideas; please by all means do so. ALL ideas will be credited to the original people who suggestions, though I may not use all of them; I can only fit in so much writing without becoming swamped and I already have quite a few projects going at the moment hahaha.**

**Also, the song that I was listening to (**_**and the video clip it was made with, containing the actress Lyndsy Fonseca who makes a PERFECT Tessa *hint hint Michael Bay***_**) can be found here; just take away the spaces, as usual :)**

**www . youtube watch?v=somyEykOjnM&feature=related**

**Anyway, my gorgeous readers; I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm sorry that you've had to wait.**

"We should just do it." Tessa said suddenly, elbow deep in engine parts and oil.

Optimus made a startled, confused noise at her sudden break of the peaceful silence they'd been in. She was currently changing a part in the engine that was constricting Energon flow something that she could now do quite easily without Ratchet's guidance.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that…?" he said slowly, genuinely wondering what was on her mind.

In response, the little mechanic pulled herself out of the engine and patted him on the side of the hood. "I mean with the whole getting married thing. We should just call Aaron and tell him and Magnus to come back to N.E.S.T, get everyone out on the tarmac with my family, and just _get married_. Get a military commander to say 'blah, blah, do you take this alien to be your husband, do you take this squishy grease monkey to be your wife?' and then just say 'I do'. It'll be a done deal, no mess, no fuss; and _certainly_ no risk of me turning into some Bridezilla."

Optimus was quiet for a moment, clearly looking up what the term meant before he gave a chuckle at her phrasing. "But according to human tradition, there are months of preparations that go into a day of union; my searches brought up factors of flowers, clothing, attendees and ceremonial receptions-"

Tessa gave a complaining groan, rolling her eyes as she draped herself back over the hood to seal the Energon line she had been working on; bolting up the new section of piping that she'd needed to install. "_Optimuuuus_," she groaned childishly, "I don't _want_ all that; I never have and I never will. God, you'd be lucky to get me in a dress at all, let alone a _white_ one. A white dress won't fair very well on a military base any way." She laughed.

"I was under the impression that humans had weddings in a church."

To his surprise, Tessa gave a loud and genuinely entertained laugh at the suggestion, and she closed the hood of the massive vehicle up before jumping down to the concrete floor; her ankles stinging a little from the force with which her boots landed. "Not to poke fun at your weight or anything, babe; but I _really_ don't see you fitting that fine ass into a church." She snickered, trying to clean her hands off on the rag from her back pocket. Wiping her forehead with the back of her wrist only served to get dried grease remnants on her skin, and catching her reflection in Optimus' chrome grill made her roll her eyes at herself.

_Always the grease monkey. _She thought amusedly.

The sound of hydraulics sliding and shifting, accompanied by the motions of the Peterbilt's form altering into bipedal mode, resounded through the hanger with a familiar ringing in Tessa's ears. Optimus' full form came into view before he knelt down in front of her to speak to her.

"I would be right outside it, Tessa; we can easily use the Holoform to–"

"-No." she cut in, looking at him seriously, "No way. I won't look a fake in the eyes and say 'I do', it isn't really you."

He gave a heavy, decompressing hiss at her statement and shook his head, trying to reassure her, "It is still _me_, essentially. My mind is still within-"

"-I said _no_, Optimus. Look at me…" she reached her hand up in the direction of his face, to which he complied by lowering his stance so that she could touch the metal of his chin. She traced her fingers up over the grooves and nicks before running her fingers tenderly over the Cybertronian markings on his faceplate guards, "…this. _This_ is you, this is the face I want to see on any form of wedding day; got it?"

A chuckle escaped him as he gently touched a finger to her head, deciding on something in his mind. "Well, seeing as we have yet to make any official claim on the celebration, there is something I should be asking you first."

That was when he shifted his posture to match the one that he had found many times in thousands of examples on the internet; one of his massive knees bent to the ground and the other propped up to rest his elbow on.

Tessa's eyes widened a fraction when his statement clicked; recognizing the position he was taking, his mouth opened as if about to speak. In an instant she found herself feeling a little bit rebellious; because she had never wanted him to ask her 'the question' he was about to; particularly because _he_ had been the one to ask about Sparkbonding. She couldn't help but feel that having him ask her about marriage was making him have to do all the hard yards, and that didn't feel fair.

"Wait-!" she exclaimed suddenly, startling him to evident silence, his eyes a little confused at her sudden request.

"Tessa?" he asked her cautiously, watching as she turned and took a step toward her workbench.

"Hang on, wait! Don't – don't say anything yet."

She fumbled noisily, almost frantically as she evidently searched for something there. All of a sudden, she gave an exclaiming cry of 'ah-HA!' and turned back to him with a gleeful expression; taking a few steps forward and giving the barest hint of a knowing smirk. Before he could make any motion to continue is attempt at her human tradition of a marriage request, she looked him in the eye and dropped to the exact same mirrored position that he was in, her left hand held out in a fist with the object she had picked up off her work space.

"Optimus Prime, Orion Pax," she said with a smile, "will _you_, marry _me_?"

The massive alien leader was genuinely stunned to silence at her blatant theft of his own words, she had almost quite literally ripped the words right out from under him. Why had she chosen to break her human tradition…? "Tessa…?"

She looked up at him with a grin. She didn't seem at all upset about having asked him herself, even though Lennox, Epps and Graham had said that it was the _male_ who was supposed to do so; in fact she seemed _pleased_ with herself that she had done so. In fact, as she held her hand higher for him to see, she uncurled her fingers with a giggle.

"I even got you a ring, see? Although you might want to get it resized…just a _little_ bit."

In her hand, being rolled playfully between her fingers was a small, hexagonal nut that was used to tighten the bolts on the military helicopters. That was when he realized the connection that she was making; what she was signifying by holding it out to him.

An engagement ring, from a mundane garage tool; so out of step, so unconventional.

So _them_.

He could not help but smile as he reached forward and opened his palm for her to stand on, waiting for her to climb on so that he could lift her up onto the catwalk; face to face with her. With a gentle, mocking reprimand, he curled one hand around the rails as he leaned in to face her, the other lifting to point at the object in her fingers.  
>"I thought the male was supposed to do this." He said, partly from amusement and partly out of confusion, "Lennox said that according to tradition, <em>I<em> would be the one asking _you_ for permission to wed you."

Tessa gave a soft laugh and lowered her head, shaking it with a smile before looking up at him, gripping the guard on his chin tightly in her fingers. Her eyes bore into his optics intensely, serious as she held up the nut in between her thumb and forefinger.  
>"To hell with tradition, Chief; we," She said firmly, gesturing to the both of them as a whole; a gesture that warmed his Spark. He could sense her determination, "are not <em>traditional<em>. Traditional is some boyfriend with a job in accounting, or university; traditional is quitting the military and becoming a housewife, having some asshole's babies while he goes to work."

The mechanic slid the nut into her pocket and pressed her arms up to his face, taking as much of it into her grasp as she could fit; which given her smaller size was not much, but the embrace was warm and loving and the gesture was easily understood as she pressed her face against the metal of his cheek. Her voice dropped to a certain, completely self-assured murmur as her fingers traced the abused, dented metal of his features; evidently comforted and sure of what she had to say.

"I don't want _traditional_, Optimus Prime. I want _you_."

The two stayed silent for a short while as her words sunk in, Optimus just enjoyed the sensation of her fingers tracing across her face, her callous skin catching the nicks and grooves in the metal that she knew so well. It felt unusual to think that they were promising a union in human tradition, given that they were literally already tied to one another by Cybertronian standards; in a much more _permanent_ sense.

"We should inform your family," he said finally, "they will want to know. Particularly Aaron and Magnus; it will take them time to return to N.E.S.T to be with you for this."

Tessa gave a laugh against him, stepping back a little to look him in the optics. "My mom is going to just…oh man…she's going to try and go total Wedding-Nazi on me. Let's agree on something here, Chief; I want simple, I want it to be _us_. No fancy crap, no extravagance; just you, me and the people that matter."

"You would not even wear a white gown?" he asked, genuinely curious as to what she expected from this ceremony; he did not want to do anything that would upset her, anything that she would not want.

To his surprise, she crossed her arms awkwardly and shrugged with a nonchalant expression, the corner of her lip tugging into a smile, "If you're lucky, I might wear a white shirt; but that's about as 'gowny' as it's going to get."

A slight smile appeared on the plates of his lip, as Optimus casted a sidelong glance at Tessa; his expression one of someone trying to bait the other. "How do you think your mother would react to that expectation?"

"….."

Tessa was silent for a moment before she closed her eyes and smacked her forehead heavily with her palm, her voice a complaining mumble.

"…God, shoot me now…"

-0-0-0-0-0-

"_Well ain't it about damn __time__!_"

Tessa could not stop herself from smiling, hearing Aaron's voice being a warming feeling of relief. He'd been ecstatic to hear about the plans, and evidently it was convenient as well; because he and Magnus were due to head back and make a delivery to the Diego Garcia base, their cargo containing amputated parts of Decepticon rogues that Magnus had been taking out.

"How long do you think it would be before you got back here…?" she asked, holding the phone to her mouth. He was on loudspeaker while she ate her dinner, nothing much more than a reheated plate of mash and veggies with a packet of Skittles beside her for dessert. She placed the phone beside her on the dining table and took a mouthful of broccoli as she listened to her brother.

"_Well, we were already on th' way back any'ow; so I'd…whatcha think Mag; 'bout a week 'r so?_" there was a brief mutter of conversation on the other end as Magnus spoke to Aaron, before the trucker returned to the conversation with his sister, "_Yeah, Mag reckons 'bout a week an' a half; two if we're getting' caught up at them weight stations on th' highways an' such. Lookin' forward ta seein' ya though, Tessie; 'm sorta missin' ya I guess._"

"Oh, jeez; thanks man. Feeling the love here!" she scoffed playfully, her mouth full as she retorted. This made Aaron laugh at her lack of manners.

"_Didn't mom tell y'all not ta talk with yer mouth full?_"

Swallowing her food, she snorted at him; her tone snarky but playful, "Oh yeah, like _you_ ever learned manners. I'm surprised Maggie even agreed to a second date the way you eat."

"_Ay! I was a perfect gen'leman when I took 'er out! Even went ta one'a them 'Down Under' places so she'd feel at 'ome!_"

Tessa could have facepalmed herself, "Oh God…Az, you didn't…? Those places are so stereotypical! They have alligator heads on the wall for Christ sake!"

"_Yeah I know, cool 'ay? They call 'em…'crocs?' over in Australia. Maggie thought th' place was way o'er th' top, but she said she 'ppreciated the gesture an' all._"

"Well, at least she knows your awkward shortcomings when it comes to etiquette, right? How long have you two been dating now…? I mean, you went out on that first date a month or so before you left right?"

"_Was two months b'fore me an' Magnus left fer in'erference. An' we been gone 'bout…let's see now… Been on th' road fer about one an' a half. Ay, how's that Bond thing goin' anyway? I mean…the idea of y'all not ageing an' shit… S'just gotta be weird for ya._"

She gave a heavy sigh and pushed back her chair, placing the knife and fork on the empty plate and picking it up, the phone in her other hand as she made her way to the sink. "Yeah, it is weird…but I guess I'm getting used to it; I think it's just the concept of having so much _time_ stretched out before me…"

"_Y'know, if that Bond thing had'a killed ya, I woulda tried t' kill Optimus…_"

"What? Aaron! It wouldn't have been his fault; he would've been just as devastated as everyone else, if not more! How can you say–"

"_-No, no; 'ay! I know that; but 'm just sayin' that…Tessie, if we'd __lost__ ya… I like Optimus, I really do; 'e's good for ya, and I don' like sayin' that I'd hurt 'im. But if that Bond thing had'a killed ya, I don' think I woulda seen straight. Yer m' baby sister, no matter 'ow old ya get…or 'ow long ya might outlive me now._"

"Yeah, I know, Azzy. I love you."

"_Love ya too, Kiddo._" He cleared his throat over the phone and brushed off the sappy tone in his voice, "_Y'know, Riley an' Em ain't told Luce about yer immortality yet._"

Tess scoffed at the word, "I'm not _immortal_ Az, I just won't get old. I can still die from a stabbing, or tripping over in the shower and cracking my skull open."

A hollering laugh resounded over the other end of the line at her jest, and Aaronhad to stop for a few seconds to have a good chuckle at her. "_Yeah that's sound like somethin' you'd do. Get the gift of eternal life, an' then die by slippin' in th' shower. That's our Tessie._"

"Hardy ha, smart ass hick. But yeah, I understand why they wouldn't have told Lucy…We can explain it to her when she's a little bit older, but right now I don't think she'd understand it. She'll be happy to hear about the wedding though, Emma's probably told her everything already; that woman is nearly as bad as _Mom_!"

Aaron snickered at her, not envying her one bit. He still remembered an interesting shopping trip from his Senior Prom year, the way their mother had taken him to nearly every clothing store she could find, trying to find him the perfect tux. Their mother had a penchant for going all out with special events; the amount of Halloweens that all three of the Jackson siblings had all been dressed to the nines was countless.

"_Y'all are gonna have Lucy be some kinda flower girl though, right?_"

"Oh, of course! You think she'd ever forgive me if I didn't do that; jeez it wouldn't be worth having my ear lectured off!" she laughed, dropping her plate into the sink and turning to lean against the counter with one arm wrapped over her chest as she heard Aaron hollering a laugh on the other end of the phone.

"_Nah, Lulu'd probably never speak to ya 'gain after that! Man, I miss that kid._"

"I'll give her a hug for you next time I see her, but I have to go, Az; Mom is taking me late night shopping, so we all know what stores she'll be dragging me into…" Tess pressed a hand to her forehead and gave a heavy sigh at the thought. She loved her mother, she really did; that was about the _only_ reason that she would allow herself to be dragged from store to store like some sort of living bridal dummy.

Aaron only reiterated this point by breaking out into song over the phone; a cheeky grin evident in his voice. "_Ay, Tessie! 'Ere comes th' bride…_"

"Az…" she groaned.

"_All dressed 'n whiiiiiiite!_"

"…Aaron!"

"'_Ere coooomes th' briiiiide!_"

"Aaron Matthew Jackson!" Tessa barked, "Don't you start, or I swear to God I will reach through this phone and strangle you with my bare hands!"

A loud, hocking laugh dissolved into a fit of coughing as Aaron failed to take in enough air from his laughing fit, "_Aw shit, Tessie! You know you love me._"

"I do, and because of that, I have the right to kill you." She grinned. There was suddenly a knock at her front door, "Az, I gotta go; Mom's at the front door. I'll talk to you soon."

"_Yep, see ya when we get home; love ya._"

"Love you too, bye Azzy."

It was only as she hung up the phone that she realized that her brother had actually used the term 'home' in reference to N.E.S.T, and to their location. In all his years on the road, she knew that his only rendition of 'home' had been the sleeper in the backs of his trucks. He'd always referred to everything else as 'Dad's place' or 'the house' or 'your home'. To hear him actually have developed such an attachment to a place and the people that belonged there, made her heart swell.

Maybe Maggie Madsen would eventually be enough of a pull for him to want to settle down; hell, he may have been a hick but from the way he acted with Lucy she had no doubt that he would make a wonderful father. He held all the values that their father had ingrained in them from a young age; respect, discipline, courtesy and a genuine wish of wellbeing on others. He had a heart of gold and would fight to the death to defend those he loved; she had no doubt.

Aaron Jackson had all the makings of a loyal and brilliant soldier.

Placing the phone into the pocket of her jeans and pulling her hair up into its usual sloppy bun, she picked her keys up off the hook on the kitchen wall and headed for the door to answer it.

"Hi Mom." Tess smiled as she opened the door, trying not to blush as she was forced to pull it from the position where it was sticking.

Standing before her was Rachael, dressed in a simple pair of dark slacks and a lavender button up shirt. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a short ponytail and her handbag was on her shoulder. Her face split into a massive white grin as she spread her arms and pulled Tessa into a tight, lung emptying bear hug.

"Ooooh, my baby girl is getting _married_! You are just going to be the most gorgeous bride, sweetheart! We need to get you a dress, order flowers, oh; we should get your hair and your nails done too so that-"

"-Mom, Mom! Wait, hold up there!" Tessa exclaimed, managing to pry herself from the older woman's excited grasp, "I want to tell you right off the bat; I don't want fancy! Optimus and I are going to do this simple, just our family; human and unhuman. We have to do the wedding on base, too; because it's the only place that Optimus can be _him_."

Rachael gave her a disappointed and deflated look before perking up again, "What about a priest?" she asked worriedly, "How are you going to get the ceremony done?"

Tess shrugged, "I dunno, this is all pretty last minute; seeing as Aaron and his guardian are only a week or two away and they can't stay on base long. It's sort of just going to be a throw together…I'm pretty sure that base commanders are able to marry people, so I might even ask Lennox if he can do something simple for it."

Tessa locked the door as she and her mother made their way out, trudging down the rickety steps of her front porch to her mother's little silver hatchback; but Rachael stopped to look at Tess over the top of the car, leaning on it with a serious and genuine expression. "I have an idea for you to consider, sweetie." She said softly.

The mechanic noticed the slight sheen in her mother's eyes, and became a little worried at the thought that something was upsetting her, "What? What's wrong?" Rachael exhaled heavily before gesturing for the two of them to climb into the car. Tessa did as her mother instructed, and buckled her seatbelt before turning to her with a concerned look written on her features. "Mom…?"

"…I think you should use Gran's priest."

Tessa's mouth snapped open in shock, a slight gasp escaping her at the sudden suggestion; and her heart warmed simultaneously at the idea. She suddenly understood her mother's tears, because she felt a few of her own prickling her eyes as she considered the suggestion.  
>"You mean…the one she went to when she got cancer…?"<p>

"Yeah. Gran adored him, he was a fantastic man; helped to keep her positive when she was at her worst. I still see him from time to time, I can put in a special request, if you like…"

Tess reached over and took her mother's hand while Rachael drove; the car was an automatic, so she didn't need to change gears in it. "But…what about Optimus…He's not exactly Catholic religious ceremony material; I mean he practically blows their whole 'God created Earth as the only life source' preach right out of the water."

Rachael smiled as she watched the road. "Priests can be blindfolded, honey. He wouldn't even need to _see_ Optimus, and I can tell him that the ceremony is pretty much just a 'yes, I do' no dribble deal. Short and simple…but tied to Gran. Wouldn't you like that?"

Tessa felt her chest ache at the thought of having something connecting her beloved Grandmother to her wedding, a way to have her _there_ with them in the only way she could.

"Yes." She whispered softly, resting her head on her mother's shoulder, to which Rachael placed her own atop Tessa's hair. "…I would…"

A long moment of memorial silence filled the car as the two women remembered all the wonderful things about the woman they had both loved so dearly, remembering her life and vigour; rather than her demise toward the end. Finally, Rachael gave a heavy, relaxed sigh and put a smile on her face, watching the road.

"Well…now that I've talked you into a Catholic priest, however minor the manner; it is now my job to get you into a wedding dress."

Tessa, who had not been expecting the sudden change in mood, thumped her head against the back of the seat in objection and gave a groan at the thought that her mother would definitely not let her win this fight.

"But Mooooom!"


	102. Feel The Burn

**Primus have mercy…I am still suffering from Writer's Block TT_TT**

**However I've decided that the only way to overcome it, is to FIGHT it. Because if I start putting it off, Primary Mechanisms would be lost, and nobody wants that; least of all me :( So I SHALL PREVAIL!  
>*epic pose of justice*<strong>

**All in all, I'm not happy with this chapter; but I can swear to you all that I have tried my very hardest to make it work as best I can :( I'm trying, and hopefully we can push through it.**

**Oh! Also, some questions were brought to my attention by a reader named padawanjinx who was curious about some details behind some scenarios. I decided to post the questions/answer here, just in case anyone else was wondering the same things.**

**Q, Why didnt Magnus recognize Prime's signature on Tessa? And didn't he sit in the driveway when the other Autobots came to pick her up or drop her off? I mean, wouldn't he KNOW his own faction?**

_**A, With Ultra Magnus, I tried to make it so that he was never actually at the house when Optimus was; and any of the other Autobots that DID come in proximity to Magnus all have guarded Energon.**_

_**My theory is that, being away from the 'main house' of the faction for so long would have caused Magnus to be 'locked out' of their frequency, in a way.**_

_**For instance, if an Autobot or Decepticon went rogue and defected; there would have to be a way to stop a traitor from still being able to access their former faction's frequency. So I thought that maybe distance and lack of constant communication might lock a bot out of their faction's signals until the communication is re-established.**_

_**So because Magnus did not know who was alive and who wasn't, he had no reason to keep up communications, so he was locked out.**_

**Q, I****f half of Tessa's blood is now Energon, how is she even able to survive? My medical training keeps rearing in the back of my head and interferring with understanding this part. Did the Energon actually get absorbed by her blood cells and it was kind of a mytosis? Because theres no way her heart can pump something that doesn't carry oxygen and can let her bleed out because she doesn't have enough platelets.**

_**A, I don't know a whole lot about medicine, so please forgive me if some of the 'medical jargon' is way off...haha. **_

_**The Energon/Blood transfusion was only designed for Tessa to stay alive long enough to complete the bond. To my knowledge, the human body is capable of surviving with half of its blood; and Tessa was whittled down to exactly half. Because she has survived the bond, that part of it has served its purpose. **_

_**As a human, she has no means of maintaining and producing Energon, so when her body naturally starts to resume its reproduction of blood cells, it will overtake the diminishing Energon within her system; so eventually she's going to have her own blood back.**_

**So thank you very much padawanjinx for bringing these questions to my attention, I truly appreciate when people feel compelled enough to want more detail or elaboration on things; I really enjoyed discussing it with you :)**

_**BY THE WAY, HERE IS THE IMAGE OF TESSA'S PURCHASED WEDDING DRESS:**_

**s2 . thisnext media/largest_dimension/99C08DA7 . jpg**

**Just take away the spaces.  
>It's simple, plain, modest and casual. All the things that would be 'hiring' criteria for Tessa's wedding dress hahaha<strong>

Tessa's evening with her mother had certainly proved to be...interesting, to say the least.

First it had been all the visits to every _single_ dress store in the mall; and Tessa found herself nearly passing out at the price some stores were willing to charge her.

She ended up being able to reign Rachael in, but it had been a painful compromise; she'd convinced her mother not to make her buy some ridiculously expensive, over-the-top gown. But in return, she had to at least wear _a_ dress. She just had to make sure that it was something that she could manage easily.

The dress that she ended up buying was a very simple, white sundress.

It was made of a casual, t-shirt fabric that bunched a little bit at the front, the neckline was deep, but modest enough for the non-promiscuous little mechanic. It was simple, casual and about the closest thing her mother would have ever gotten her to a wedding dress. But that was not what her biggest concern was…

As she tossed the shopping bags onto her bed and pulled her hair out from its tie, she found herself flushing red. Rachael had invited Emma along for their little 'lady's night' at the mall, and it had been under her rather…_forceful_ suggestion, that Tessa be dragged into one of the stores she would never have visited by choice.

Victoria's Secret.

Shaking her head, she cast a disdainful look at the bag on the bed that contained what Emma had conveniently called 'the wedding night' dress-up. The mechanic had spent her life in comfortable cotton briefs and fabric boylegs; and here she was in possession of a pair of expensive, ridiculously _dysfunctional_ underwear made of silk and lace and hardly any fabric. Shaking her head to herself, she crossed her arms stubbornly and glared at the back as though it had personally insulted her.  
>"I don't care <em>what<em> Mom and Emma say!" she snapped at it, trying not to think about how ridiculous she looked talking to a shopping bag, "I am _not_ wearing that bra, and I am _certainly_ not wearing those panties. Nuh-uh, no way in Hell."

Dusting off her hands decisively she picked up the bag and shoved it into her bottom drawer with a disgusted look; things like that were so far out of her comfort zone, and she would never _do_ something so risqué. Neither would Optimus be prepared for anything like that; to hell with 'traditions' such as that.

Pulling the dress out of her shopping bag, she observed it on the hangar with a slight smile, her mood improving upon looking at something that wasn't underwear. Truth be told, she actually liked the dress; sure it wasn't something she would normally buy, but she supposed that as far as 'wedding dresses' went it was plain, simple and as _her_ as she would ever get.

Pulling one last item from the bag, she smiled broadly at this one; a gift for Optimus to wear. She'd gone to an auto-accessories dealer and picked up a plain, silver Chevrolet car badge; a joke that she would have him participate in on the day by wearing it as his 'bow tie' as his wedding attire.

Tess smiled at the idea; it was nice to have some humour about the whole rather _cheesy_ concept of getting married to a giant alien robot, like something out of a science fiction romance novel.

Changing out of her plain clothes, Tessa threw on some pyjama pants and a ratty t-shirt and placed the remaining shopping bags on the floor beside her dresser before crawling into bed. Her thoughts reflected to what an interesting and no doubt incredibly _stressful_ week it was probably going to be. A week or two was a very short period of time to prepare a wedding, no matter how simple or untraditional it was going to be.

Sleep came quickly to the exhausted little mechanic, and it was welcomed eagerly.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Bachelor party?" Ironhide stalled, "What in slag's name is that…?"

Lennox scoffed and shook his head, "It's a tradition guys go through before they get married; it's supposed to represent the last night of 'freedom' a man has before he gets married. Usually it would be a night out with some guy friends with alcohol, tasteless practical jokes and a stripper or two."

Ironhide glanced at Optimus before he then shot the human a look, and Lennox did not miss the defensive, almost angry streak that underlay his tone, "You would have Prime betray his mate by providing him with questionable company?" he growled, and that was when Will recalled the close friendship between Tessa and Ironhide; he loved her like one of her brothers and would not stand for anything that would hurt her. He needed to clarify; now.

"No, no 'Hide! Relax; I'm just saying that's usually what goes down. What I think that we should do, is gather a bunch of the soldiers along with all the male Autobots, and have ourselves a few drinks and some laughs. Nothing untoward or _questionable_ 'Hide; what do you say, Optimus?"

The Prime turned to Ironhide before glancing at Sideswipe and Ratchet, who were also present in the hangar for this conversation. "Tessa will be partaking in a similar tradition, I assume…?"

Epps snorted and leaned over the railing of the catwalk, "Yeah, probably. But knowing her, she's probably trying to dim it down to a game of monopoly or something. Rowdiness just isn't Tess."

Lennox nodded and looked to the massive Autobot leader with a shrug, "When Sarah and I got married, my Buck's Night was nothing but a night-time paintball game. Was fun as hell, especially with a drink or two in our systems…but _man_ did I get some bruises from it. Sarah just went out to dinner and a movie with some girlfriends, nothing rowdy or over the top."

Optimus clearly deliberated it for a time, weighing the situation and its costs; before he gave a slow nod and turned to his soldiers.

"A union is cause to celebrate. We will break into our stores for some High-Grade, and enjoy a company among friends. There is no need for anything to become out of hand; from what I can gather of this…_last freedom_ ritual, I wish no part of anything untoward."

Sideswipe gave a sudden cheer, causing everyone in the hangar, bot and human alike, to turn to him in reaction. He paused and looked at them for a few moments before shrugging; a distinctively human gesture that he'd picked up from Tessa during the first few months of their friendship.

"What? We get to break out the High-Grade! You think I'm gonna _complain_? We haven't had reason for the High-Grade since Megapain-in-the-aft got killed the _first_ time; and that was years ago."

Lennox smiled and leaned heavily on the railing to look over at them all, "Well, I think it sounds like a good idea. Epps, Graham and me will go buy a keg and you guys break out the high-grade. Tonight is going to be guy's night."

Ironhide and Sideswipe exchanged a glance of the optic, to which the weapons specialist still seemed a little bit concerned. However Sideswipe shrugged again and playfully shoved the stuffy older mech with a jibing elbow. "Oh _loosen up_ you rusty old glitch! It's just a little High-Grade, Ironhide! How bad could it possible be?"

…How bad, indeed.

-0-0-0-0-0-

When Tessa arrived at base the next morning, she was genuinely surprised to find that she was not greeted by the sight of any of the Autobots on duty; which was odd, because normally first thing in the morning was their busiest time. Everyone would be heading to their rostered locations for duty, or to the training area for practice; or heading to Ratchet's medical bay for repairs whenever someone (_usually Ironhide_) got too out of hand with said training.

The human soldiers were still around, going about business as usual…but there were no Autobots present.  
>Save for Arcee, who was patrolling the outskirts of the base; Tess would never be able to catch her attention in the meantime, so she continued her search. She checked the training field, which was a large open area of tarmac marked out large enough for the bots to have rather rigorous training spars; but she was not greeted with the usual sight of a combination of bots toughing it out against one another in friendly training. It was empty.<p>

"What…?" Tess breathed to herself, eyes casting around the whole area in shock.

It was then that she decided to head to the medical bay, fearing that something had happened to them. What if they'd been called out on a mission? What if _Megatron_ was back; and Optimus had needed to go and fight him?  
>Her chest tightened in fear a fraction, her eyes prickling with sudden, irrational tears. God, what if they'd been called away, and Optimus didn't come back? She'd lost him once before, she couldn't go through it again; not with everything that had happened between them now.<p>

No. He couldn't _die_, because he was supposed to marry her. He'd _promised_.

A sudden, stumbling crash from the Autobots' recreation hangar stopped her on the way to the medical bay, and in a frisson of terror and worry, she changed her course and made for the warehouse. She pulled the door open heavily, her eyes searching and concerned; and she suddenly gave a gasp of horror.

The bodies of several of the Autobots were strewn all over the hangar in a mess, Ironhide was propped up against a set of massive crates, Sideswipe leaned awkwardly against one wall of the hangar, the twins were locked in a tangle of limbs with Mudflap's fist in Skids' face as though they had been fighting in some way…not that _that_ would be a surprise. Jolt was not in the hangar, and neither was Ratchet; but with a panicked choke, Tessa spotted Optimus' massive form lying on his back on the hangar floor, his arms spread and his legs straight, one knee propped up with his foot flat on the floor.

She had no reason as to why they were all here, like this; everything had been fine when she'd left work the day before, what had _happened_?

Her eyes prickled with frightened tears as she rushed forward into the hangar towards Optimus with a worried cry. "Chief!" she exclaimed with a frightened sound, "_Optimus_!"

She reached him and pressed her hands frantically to his face, her eyes searching desperately into his dimmed optics. A sudden whir in his chest drew her attention, and what she didn't realize was that Optimus was sensing her intense distress within his Spark, and it was rousing him to wake up from stasis and reassure her.  
>"<em>Chief<em>! Talk to me! What happened?"  
>His optics onlined to only half capacity to filter some of the light from the open hangar door, and he felt his circuits rattle in discomfort from the volume in her worried voice.<p>

"Tess." He rumbled deeply, a heavy growl rolling up his chest as a regrettably pained feeling ran through his systems. High-Grade residue clung in his systems, causing every sensory node within his head to pulse in a rather discomforting manner. Was this what humans referred to as 'hanging over' something? The overcharge from the High-Grade was a potent one, considering that it had been more than a millennium since he had participated in such…_lax_ behaviour. He was promptly brought violently back to the present as Tessa's voice rose to a shrill, worried pique.

"Optimus! Are you alright? Was it Decepticons; are you-?"

"-Tess…please." he cut in softly, curling his arm around her to cage her in to his face as he lowered his voice to a gentle, rather sleepy sounding rumble, "Sshhh…"

Confused, she placed a hand to his face and lowered her voice to a quiet stutter. "But- Chief…what happene–?"

"Arrrrgghhh…." Ironhide growled from the corner, "Close the fragging _door_."

…Now she was just _weirded out_. What was going on?

Sideswipe was the next one to stir, pulling himself up lethargically from against the hangar wall. Tess watched in amazement as he seemed to…stumble…toward the tiny crack in the hangar door that she had just entered through. With an almost pained sounding grumble, he pulled the heavy thing closed again and plunged the hangar into a soft, barely filtered darkness. She could still see, but it was not from direct sunlight; rather it was from the filtered gaps at the top of the hangar walls; something that wouldn't evidently offend the delicate sensory optics of certain transformers.  
>Tess furrowed her brow and turned to Sideswipe, clambering up onto Optimus' arm; who had evidently seemed to slip back into a light stasis.<p>

"Alright, Sideswipe," she snapped; annoyed, concerned and _worried_ in her tone, "What the hell is going on? What _happened_ in here?"

Ironhide gave a rumbling growl and pulled himself into an upright, sitting position that was more comfortable for his back struts. "Primus…I don't think I've been that slagged since I enlisted…What the frag does Ratchet _put_ in that High-Grade?" he hissed.

Tess shot him a confused look and choked back a conflicted sound that showed just how little she understood what was going on. "Ironhide…is Optimus okay? What happened to you?"

"Everything's okay Tess." Came Lennox's voice.

Tessa turned suddenly to see the soldier coming down the stairs slowly, having most likely been in the raise office above the hangar. He looked…terrible. His hair was dishevelled and there were bags under his eyes; he was holding one side of his head with a grimace.

"It is…?" she asked, genuinely stumped at what the hell was going on, "What…happened though?"

Lennox rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he approached Tessa, who slid down from Optimus' arm to rest a hand on her lover's face as he rested. "Well, uh…we kind of followed a tradition with wedding plans."

"….Which…was….?"

"Uh…we sort of…had a Buck's Night for Optimus. It wasn't anything bad, but I think he took to that High-Grade stuff a little too extremely. I guess he doesn't drink much, huh?"

Ironhide gave a rattling scoff as he shifted comfortably to watch the humans conversing, his head shaking a little with amusement. "The last time Prime let loose like _that _was when we won our first hard war against the 'Cons. Took out an entire platoon of them and managed to fend them off the city of Iacon. That party was something nobody would forget. But, as a Prime he doesn't usually engage like that. He's a leader, and Optimus doesn't take that duty lightly; he's always ready for the battle."

"But," Sideswipe cut in with a shrug, looking at the twins who were still deeply in stasis; they were not likely to wake any time soon, they'd hit the High-Grade pretty hard and gotten _extremely_ overcharged in their circuits. They'd amusingly consumed more than their frame size would normally allow, "…seeing as this was a _special_ occasion to celebrate our Prime become a bonded mech…he let up a little and lost the rigid act. Never thought his resistance was _that_ low, though. For a bot his frame-size they can usually stand more, but I guess Ratchet's High-Grade is pretty potent stuff."

Tess processed their information and conversations slowly, her eyes narrowed in confusion as she took everything in. Finally, she turned to Lennox with a perturbed expression and inquired quizzically, "So…he's…?"

"Hung-over." Lennox finished for her.

There was a long moment where Tessa did not say anything, she was just trying to assess the information and understand. A Buck's Night…? So they had simple spent a night in the company of friends to drink, horse around and generally have a very small, jovial party. If not a slightly rowdy one.

"I…heard a bang from the hangar, that's why I came in here…" she said slowly, "what happened…?"

Ironhide scoffed once again, leaning over a little bit to look at Tessa with what she could gather was a smirk. "Optimus said something about you, something to do with the Spark. My bet is that you were worried about where we were, yes?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, he tried to stand up to go and find you and the light-weight slagger fell back on his aft." He started to laugh quietly, so as not to irritate is audio receptors; which were highly over-sensitised from the High-Grade remnants still tingling through his intricate circuitry. The purpose of the substance was generally to heighten awareness and dull pain sensors; but in consumption like theirs the previous night, it had much the same effects as alcohol on the human body. Impaired awareness, faltering visual capabilities, lock of coherence; and in the very extreme cases, could cause a Cybertronian to purge their tanks to eliminate the overcharge. Thankfully none of them had come to that; but Prime was going to be very much regretting the sensations this morning.

"So…he got hammered…basically…?"

"Very easily and pathetically, but essentially; yes." Ironhide scoffed, "Such low overcharge firewalls he has. Just proof that he needs to cut loose more often."

"Oh no he will _not_!" she snapped up at the massive robot, her expression looking every bit the annoyed little housewife; something that Lennox found really, _really_ entertaining considering her and Optimus were getting married in a week or so. She turned to Optimus with an expression that was no longer frightened or worried, but annoyed…if not slightly amused underneath.

Then all of a sudden she lifted her hand and brought it down to the metal of his cheek.

_WHACK!_

Optimus jolted online with a startled whirring sound and zeroed his optics in on the little female at his side. "You _ass_!" she squeaked, "You scared the _crap out of me_! I thought something had happened to you guys! Here I am panicking and thinking that the Decepticons have managed to do something to you or that you've suffered some mass Cybertronian _death plague_ or something, and you're all in here being fucking hung-over! Jesus, Chief; please don't _ever_ do that to me again!"

"Tessa?" he asked gently, "I…Forgive me; this behaviour is far from the norm for me, I did not intend for things to…become so out of hand." He gave a low, uncomfortable rumble ad he pressed a hand to his head in an attempt to ease some of the static charge that was crackling in his circuits and making his audios ring.

With a heavy sigh, Tessa shook her head and placed a hand on his cheek where she had hit him, suddenly feeling bad. She knew how much a hangover hurt you head; and if Cybertronians felt anything similar than she had probably not helped by hitting him, she planted a kiss to the spot apologetically.

"I'm sorry that I hit you. It's not…the _Buck's Night_ thing that bothers me. I guess you just…seeing you all looking so _dead_ made me panic. I got the worst rush of fear from that, Optimus…I thought you were hurt…"

The Prime slowly sat himself up, gently picking her up in his hand and resting her against his chest as he leaned against one of the beams that upheld the hangar. "I am sorry that we concerned you. I overestimated my tolerance to High-Grade, it has been quite some time since my last experience with it. Rest assured, Tess…I have no desire to repeat the experience; this sensation is…unpleasant."

She gave a laugh and shook her head in realization.

For all his battle scars, for all his wisdom and knowledge…even though he had led countless soldiers to both death _and_ victory, planned thousands of tactics against dangerous and seemingly undefeatable foes; and even though he had borne witness to millennia more than herself…she realized that beneath it all he was still endearingly naïve.

War had hardened his resolve, but it had not hardened his soul.

Such rare, genuine _goodness_ was within his heart – Spark – that it seemed to lead him to believe in seeing the good in others. Something as naively simple as underestimating the potency of a Cybertronian alcohol was something that she suddenly found endearing and childishly sweet; like a child that tried to be brave and eat spicy food. They always regretted it afterward, but were always willing to think they could do it.

Her Optimus, the good-commander fighting a noble cause and leading his soldiers in a brave campaign that would crush lesser men under the pressure.  
>…and he was a <em>lightweight<em>.

She gave a snicker at the thought and patted the plating on his chest reassuringly. "You're just a big pushover, Prime. Like a little kitten with a bowl of cream; you big kitty cat."

All he did in response was offer a tired, gentle chuckle and relax his hand around her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tess saw Epps and Graham hauling their sorry looking selves into the hangar from the office. Chances are they had all crashed in there because from what she could guess, the army greens they wore were not something they'd just thrown on; she had every suspicion that they'd slept in them. The thought made her smile, but the 'three stooges' would be getting a talk from her eventually about the consequences of worrying a wife.

…Even if she wasn't one _just_ yet.

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.**

**I haven't put anything into the chapter about WHAT happened at the Buck's Night, mostly because I didn't have the motivation. Maybe I'll put it up as a Oneshot in Side Chronicles, but for now just use your imagination hahaha.**

**Unless anyone wants to write a version of their own theories? That could be VEERRYYYY interesting hahaha. Here's to hoping I get past this Writer's Block soon; it's freaking **_**KILLING**_** me!**


	103. I Will Follow You Into The Dark

**Oh GAWD I still have Writer's Block! :(**

**I'm so sorry about the wait, everyone; this chapter fought me every step of the way. I'M TRYING, I'M SORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYY! T_T**

**I'm trying to hard to not lose motivation for this story, because I REFUSE to give up on it; I WILL be finishing this story, I swear! Even if I have to beat my Writer's Block with a stick!**

**Oh also, it seems that Lawyer Dave (**_**who has been giving Rainbow Ninja Mizuki some trouble over my not owning Transformers hahaha**_**) has decided to make an appearance here to tell me to do a 'refresher' disclaimer about the rights.**

**I, UlurNaga, hereby do solemnly swear that I do not own Transformers. However Prime's fine aft belongs to Tessa; who belongs to me. So technically, I sort of DO own 'em! Hehehehe**

**-What's that Dave? Tess **_**doesn't**_** own Prime? Oh I beg to differ, bitch; because they get married in this chapter. He's as good as owned.**

**Oh Lawyer Dave…will you never learn? Hey Tess; this guy says Prime belongs to Michael Bay and Hasbro…what do you have to say about that?**

…**.Oh dear…looks like she's getting her charge-cannon, better start running, Davey boy ;P  
>Hahahaha, anyhow; I hope y'all enjoy the chapter, despite how much it FOUGHT me! All my love to you guys!<strong>

**P.S. I have a wedding song that I imagined for OP and Tessa. The song is called '**_**I Will Follow You Into The Dark**_**' by Death Cab For Cutie, however I MUCH preferred a cover version that I found of the song done by an artist called Gavin Mikhail.**

**Here is a link for the original, just manually put in the full stops between the site words, because for some reason, Fanfiction keeps chopping my links :(**

**Original: wwwyoutubecom /watch?v=NDHY1D0tKRA**

**And here is Gavin's version: wwwyoutubecom /watch?v=lCPRagQHhBw**

**You can decide for yourselves which one you like better :)**

"Wow…"

"Oh sweetheart…"

"My goodness…"

"Holy _shit_, Tess! That looks awesome!"

The mechanic rubbed the back of her neck at the praises from the women in the barracks with her, more so at Mikaela's rather enthusiastic remark.

Emma, Mikaela, Nora and Rachael were all in the room with Tessa having insisted that they have at least _some_ sort of bridal party. The mechanic had refused any attempts at bridesmaids, red carpets, sappy music, over-the-top flowers or any crazy make-up artists who would try to make her look like a gender confused drag queen.

Instead, Emma had done the make-up for her; nothing more than a little concealer and some transparent lip balm teamed with (_at every female's aside from Tessa's insistence_) a very natural shade of eye shadow; no mascara. Tessa was wearing her casual white summer dress that she'd chosen as the closest thing to a wedding dress she would ever allow, much to the other women's disappointment. Her shoes were a simple pair of black flats that she'd had in the back of her closet, and the fronts of them were a little bit scuffed.

That was a good thing, as far as she was concerned; Tessa didn't want extravagant. She wanted simple.

Just her, Optimus and their promise to each other; from both their cultures.

Her hair was left in its natural waves and pulled into a very easy, no-nonsense bun with a few of its shorter strands framing her face. Not much of a difference from her usual hairstyle, except at least this time she'd _brushed_ it.

"Mommy?" came Lucy's voice from outside the door, "Grandpa said Aunt Tessie was in here!"

Emma smiled and pulled open the door to the office; one of the sergeants had allowed the ladies use of it for the purpose of getting Tessa ready; being married himself he knew the preparations that the female gaggle would probably get up to. Lucy stepped in with a big smile at Tessa, her hands behind her back dutifully.

"You look pretty, Aunt Tessie! But you're s'posed to wear a _veil_ aren't you? Mommy wore one!"

Tessa gave a heavy, amused sigh and knelt down in front of the almost-but-not-quite-seven-year-old. "Well, this is a really quiet wedding, Lulu. Optimus and I don't want to do big fancy stuff, no churches or flowers or anything like that, yeah?"

Lucy pulled a quizzical face and shook her head with a grin, "No! Grandpa said you gotta have at least _one_ flower! Here, he brought this from the farm!"

Pulling her hands out from behind her back, Lucy held up a single, simple daisy; one of the sort that Tessa had used to make daisy chains out of as a little girl. Tess gave a choked laugh and gently plucked the flower from her nieces hand, touched by the simplicity of the gesture. She stuck it playfully behind her ear and held her arms out in a pose.

"Well?" she asked with a smile, "How's it look? Bridezilla enough for you people?"

Rachael laughed and cleared her throat, clearly trying very hard not to get choked up; her little girl _was_ technically getting married today.

"Looks perfect. Well…as perfect as we can get with what you're letting us do. I still wish you'd let me find a caterer-"

"Mom," Tessa said with an exasperated sigh, a smile on her face, "you already know that I'm not into big ceremonies. I used to hate _birthday_ parties, let alone a wedding. Besides…There's no way Chief would've fit into a church."

The congregation of women laughed, although Lucy didn't really get the pun that had been intended; suddenly there was another presence alerted as a knock sounded on the door. It opened to reveal Tessa's father, dressed in a pair of everyday jeans, work boots and his old flannel work shirt; all requested by Tessa.

He was unable to hide the smile when he spotted his daughter, looking about as feminine as she ever would; it was as good a wedding outfit as they were going to get from her.

"Priest is ready, Tessie." He smiled, "Lennox told him he had to be blindfolded because it was a 'classified' wedding; Aaron thought that was funny."

Tessa laughed, "Are they waiting with Optimus? Is he out there?" she asked, suddenly feeling just a little nervous; no matter how casual she'd tried to make the day it was still her _wedding_ for all intents and purposes. Phil placed his hands on her shoulders and gave a chuckle.

"Relax, Kiddo. Everything's sorted; now we're just waiting on you. Ready?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, trying to reason with the illogical and unnecessary butterflies in her gut, "As ready as I'll ever be…" she took in a deep breath and smiled at her father expectantly, "…Let's do this."

-0-0-0-0-0-

The walk up to where the priest was waiting, was one of the most awkward, exciting, nerve-wracking and _weird_ sensations of her life. For one such as Tessa, who had never liked being the centre of attention, to be the person that everyone was watching; was unnerving for her. Her father had insisted on walking her there and having the chance to 'give her away' but instead of walking across the tarmac with her arm link to his like some blushing bride in a movie, they instead held hands tightly; her head rested comfortably on his shoulder in a semblance of simple togetherness.

Optimus was waiting with her brothers, and she did not fail to notice the way his eyes did not leave her for even a moment. Aaron and Riley were standing at his feet, Riley was yelling to Thomas and scolding him for his behaviour. The nearly-two-year-old was entertaining himself by toddling quite happily around Arcee's feet and wove between Skids and Mudflap, who found the cheeky little human infant _incredibly_ entertaining. Once they reached the location of the priest, Phil spoke to him.

"Father Jonathan, got the lovely bride here; I think we're ready…Optimus? You good to go?"

The Prime nodded and knelt down on one knee to better communicate with them. The poor priest had no idea what was around him, only that it was involving the military somehow. But with the special request of the family of Cecily, he decided that no matter the situation; he would follow through.

"I am more than ready." Optimus said gently, lifting a hand to trace a finger over Tessa's side, "You look marvellous."

A scoff was heard from next to them and Tessa turned to see Aaron laughing at her, leaning comfortably against Ultra Magnus' leg with his arm around Maggie Madsen, "I'll say! About th' only time y'all've ever actu'lly _looked_ like a girl! Didn't know ya had _legs_ under there!"

"Aaron!" Maggie hissed, jabbing him in the ribs with a berating expression, "It's her wedding day, you're going to act like a jackass?"

He turned to Maggie with a grin, "Only if yer plannin' on punishin' me fer it later, babe." He snarked in response, raising one of his eyebrows cheekily. To Tessa's amusement, the Australian woman then rolled her eyes and poked him in the arm with a half-amused expression.

"Be nice, or you get nothing but a kick in the knickers." She replied wittily, making the mechanic grin.

"It's about time he met a girl who can keep him in line." Tess laughed to Maggie, then she turned back to Optimus and spied the Chevrolet 'bow-tie' that she had given him to wear, "I'm surprised that you actually _wore_ that, Chief! It was only supposed to be a silly joke."

A glance to his soldiers was afforded before her leaned in to rumble in her ear, "I may be a leader, but _I_ am certainly not without the understanding of humour. I thought that perhaps it would be fitting, since _you_ have appropriate attire."

They shared a rather private laugh at the joke before Father Jonathan finally called to order the congregation. Although, there _was_ something that he needed to address first.

"How, Major Lennox, do the bride and groom expect me to read them the ceremonial requirements…if I can't _see_ to read it?"

Lennox cleared his throat and placed a hand on the shoulder of the Father, "Actually, this isn't going to be a traditional ceremony, Father. Tessa and Optimus have sort of…already…well, _eloped_ I guess you say. This is mostly just for you to be here to verify for…uh…" Lennox looked to Tessa for guidance, unsure of the specific reasons behind exactly what Tessa planned to do with the priest present. Smiling at him, she finished his sentence for him instead.

"It's for a union under the eyes of God, Father. Not for the piece of paper; this is in memory of my Grandmother, Cecily Elizabeth Phillips, that's why I chose you to grant us blessing. It would have meant a lot to her."

"Then…what is it you planned on doing today…?" he asked, confused from beneath the firm blindfold.

Tess looked at Optimus and smiled gently up at him.

"We'll do the talking…all you have to do is bless us…please…"

Father Jonathan shuffled on his feet for a second before nodding, "Very well, this is for Cecily, after all. She would have been happy to see this, you were very important to her, Teresa; she spoke of you often."

Optimus did not miss the sheen of Tessa's eyes, knowing full well how much her grandmother had meant to her. "Thank you." She said softly, then she cleared her throat and stood a little straighter as the priest started the proceeding in its most basic of manners.

"Who is here to give this woman away?" he asked blindly, not being able to see Tessa's father beside her.

"That'd be me." Phil said gruffly, putting a hand around Tessa's arm and kissing her temple, "Phillip Jackson, Tessa's father." He turned to the massive alien robot with a sad, but affectionate expression, "Optimus, you're her family now; she's yours to protect… For as long as you _both_ live."

The Autobot commander gave a single short nod and glanced to Tessa, feeling his Spark project a sense of wholeness at just having her near.

"I will protect her with my life, Phillip."

Tessa's heart skipped a beat, as the both of them began their exchange of words.

They were not 'vows' so to speak, more a recap of the memories and experiences they had shared together, and a simple promise to protect and love one another. It was brief, simple and all in all would have only take a minute or two. They didn't need more than that, they knew one another inside and out; they didn't need to say these things.

Besides…they had the rest of their lives to fill in the details.

In place of actual wedding rings, what they did was express their promises through the two necklaces that they had exchanged already throughout various points in their relationship. Tessa's promises and words were tied to the cross that was clasped safely to the gears and metal between the plates of his chest, and Optimus' promises were sworn and bound to the Autobot chain of guarded Energon that hung around her throat and rested upon her collar bone.

Instead of presenting them with rings like she had hoped to as 'flower girl', Lucy was instead given the job of taking Tessa's hand and placing it on Optimus' outstretched finger with a grin like the Cheshire cat. With an appreciative smile, Tess plucked the daisy from her hair and put it behind Lucy's ear before planting a kiss to her forehead. Her attention was drawn away by the sound of Lennox addressing the priest, who had really been able to do nothing during the 'ceremony' but stand and listen. He was astounded by the sheer feeling of protective love and devotion that was in the air. It was undeniable that the two members of this covert wedding ceremony were very deeply imbedded in one another; Catholic traditional ceremony or not.

"Father," Lennox said with a firm, professional tone, "does this couple have your blessing, in the eyes of the Lord?"

Jonathan cleared his throat and nodded, still trying to find his feet with this rather bizarrely abrupt ceremony that he had been so insistently requested to do, simply for having been Cecily's loyal priest and confidant. It was a sentimental reason.

"I hereby bless this couple," he stated, "to have been unified under the eyes and blessing of the Lord our Father. Let nothing part them in their journey to love, honour and cherish one another, and may none interrupt this union. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Tessa looked up at Optimus with a gleeful, rather adorably ecstatic grin as they both listened to the priest's next words with a sense of surreal joy.

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife."

-0-0-0-0-0-

It became nothing but another normal day after the ceremony; the priest was chaperoned off base, friends and family congratulated them both on the union and Tessa changed back into her regular jumpsuit to resume her day's work.

There had been no piece of paper for them to sign, because legally; Optimus Prime did not exist. She could not sign papers to a man who did not exist, and therefore she could not take his name either. She remained Tessa Jackson, for all intents and purposes; but was being addressed as 'Lady Prime' by the Autobots before the sun had even started to set. Mostly by Ironhide and Sideswipe, who saw it more as an amusing way to get under her skin with the honorary title; the more she told them to cut it out, the more they tried to do it.

But the remainder of the day went by quickly, and interestingly enough; as Tessa had been packing up for the night and preparing to head out home, Optimus had requested her presence. Epps and Graham had escorted her to the other side of the base where one of the hangars was located, one that she had not been inside before. There had never been need for her to be on this side of the base with her workload; everyone usually came to the main hangars.

"Here we go, big boss is all yours, Tess." Graham said with a smile, patting her reassuringly on the shoulder. However the mechanic looked up at the hangar doors with a sceptical expression.

"Why would Optimus request me _here_ to some old hangar? The Autobots' hangar is right near communications!"

Epps looked at her confusedly for a moment, then realization struck him, "Oh, right…you haven't ever had your ass chewed for bad behaviour by big bot…" he laughed as he remembered being on the receiving end of a scolding lecture once or twice before, "Tess, these are Prime's office quarters; where he goes over tactic plans and training regiments."

Her jaw slackened in surprise, "But…Chief and I have been together for…why haven't I been here?"

Epps shrugged, "Optimus doesn't really use it for anything other than objectives and planning our next attacks on the 'Cons; so I suppose he's never really had reason to call you here. But he asked you here today, and my guess is it's got somethin' to do with certain…traditions."

Tessa's face flashed crimson, her eyes widening in shock, "Whoa….who else knows about this?"

Graham cleared his throat with a snicker, "Well, your family seemed pretty willing to give him advice, I must say."

Tessa's hand reached up to slap her forehead and she groaned embarrassedly, "Oh God…just…go, go on; get out of here, conniving smart-asses." She sighed with a humiliated smile. Suddenly she was pulled forward, and opened her eyes to discover that both Graham and Epps were hugging her, one of her arms propped around each of their shoulders, "What-?"

"Congratulations." Epps said with a grin, "You're a married woman now."

Graham pulled away shortly after Epps did, and ruffled her hair, "Never thought I'd see a marriage between a human and an alien, isn't life just full of surprises?" he grinned, "Go on, Optimus is probably waiting for you."

With a deep breath, Tess smiled at them and nodded before slipping into the hangar and closing it behind her.

Inside, she was surprised by the set up and utilization of the space; the door had an electronic pad next to it with wires running into the framework; obviously some sort of Cybertronian lock that Ratchet had created. The hangar was set up something like an office, with an obviously custom crafted metal desk like the ones in Ratchet's medical bay, with sets of holographic screens set up containing graphs, statistics and what she assumed were battle plans. A berth large enough for Prime was set to one side for the days when his workload would need him close by and he needed an easily accessible stasis environment. The mechanic also spotted a rack on the wall where _her_ temperature-charged plasma cannon was rested, obviously the bots had decided that the safekeeping was best left to Prime; and to be honest Tessa did not really ever have any intentions of using it. She much preferred it in Optimus' care than her own, because she didn't ever want to have to fire it. Large and spacious, it was clear that the room was not designed for human inhabitants…but she felt strangely at home knowing that this was the more…_private_ living space of the one she loved.

Wait…her _husband_. God that sounded surreal to say…

"Optimus?" she called, poking her head around the leg of one of the tables to see better. He was reading a datapad to occupy his time, and upon seeing her, placed it gently down on the desk before kneeling down in front of her.

"Tessa." He said gently, lifting a hand to fondly trace the side of her form with one finger, "I was wondering when you would arrive."

She laughed and looked around the hangar, "This is quite the nice little setup you've got going here," she smiled, gesturing to the environment around them, "but…why did you call me here? I mean…I thought that you would have just come to my place tonight…?"

He seemed to think quite intensely on his answer, gently scooping her up into his hand as he did so. His optics were narrowed into the distance, accessing information of previous conversations to better explain his thoughts to her.

"I thought for a very long time about what you said…in regards to marital ceremonies, and not wanting to 'look a fake in the eyes' on the day… And I must confess that I was warmed by the fact. You have never expected falsities from myself, nor my soldiers. While the Holoform is often a more _convenient_ tool for intricacies between us…you have always seen it as just that, a tool. I do not ever recall you fooling yourself into believe it was my true self, and for that I thank you." Optimus lifted her to his face and closed his eyes to touch the bridge of his nose against her form, "We have shared our memories and histories, Tessa…but there is one secret you have yet to see for yourself. Do you recall my mentioning to you about…Protoforms?"

Recollection resounded through her at the word, very clearly remembering the conversation they'd had very briefly when she was sick, about the form beneath their protective armours. "It's like…your body base, right? Before you find armours and stuff to cover with?"

He nodded gently. "Yes. When we first arrived on your planet, we were in Protoform until we were able to find ourselves an appropriate alternate mode to use. That is why I requested you here tonight. I would like for this night to be unguarded between us, I did not wish to use the Holoform."

A hand on his nose caused him to look at her intently, her gaze soft and gentle as an understanding smile crossed her features. "I think that's a fantastic idea…" she whispered, pressing her forehead to the tip of his metal nose, "…show me."

There was a lengthy silence as Optimus took a moment to enjoy the sensation of her being so close, of his Spark humming happily in time to her heartbeat; connected and joined as they were. Then finally he moved her away and stepped over to the berth to place her upon it so that he could remove the armour. She noticed the way his hands hesitated a fraction, clearly this was something very private for Cybertronians to do. It was one thing to already be without their armour…but to trust the place and people enough to actually _remove_ it again… that was a different story. Making his way to the door, she watched him access a code for the door before the electronic panel screen turned red, indicating that the room and its occupants were in a lock-down.

They were not going to be disturbed.

Tessa held her breath as she heard a metallic hissing, the sound of joints and clasps decompressing and detaching; the sound was almost musical to her. Panels of blue and red dropped carelessly to the floor with loud metallic crashes, and she almost wanted to scold him for the buffing that she would have to do on the panels later on…but she was far too distracted.

He was beautiful.

The structure beneath his armour was a slender, not quite skeletal build; and the metal of the matter was dark, almost like a dark chrome effect. Shades of greys, blacks and silvers shimmered under the lights in an incredibly over-polished and glistening effect; that was when she realised that it was Cybertronian metal matter. So much more refined and reflective than anything that Earth metals could ever hope to achieve. It was strange to see him without his helmet, or without the smokestacks on his shoulders, or the trademark red and blue colours that he was so known for; but his optics…they were the same.

That same sheening, neon blue colour that possessed all the knowledge and love that she could ever ask for in the world. It was her Optimus, in as raw a form as she would ever see.

"Wow…" she breathed, stepping aside on the massive berth so that he could sit beside her on its edge, "It looks so…different. But…the same, sort of; it doesn't look like you but it _does_…if that makes sense." Tess shrugged awkwardly, not knowing exactly how to describe the feeling.

Reassuringly, Optimus reached over with a hand twined his now much more lithe fingers over her form, "I understand." He rumbled gently, "This body is as close a comparison for 'skin-to-skin' as I can equate for you. This is as bare as a Cybertronian can ever be, for me to share this with you."

_Skin to skin_, she thought, a slightly embarrassed smile tilting itself into her features. _Not quite yet it isn't_…

Releasing her touch from his hand, she reached up and unzipped the jumpsuit she was wearing gently. She rolled it down to her hips and wriggled out awkwardly before kicking it off along with her boots. The tank top she wore came off next, and her underwear after that. She stood on the berth, as bare before him as he was before her.

No secrets.

She smiled and crossed her arms embarrassedly across her chest as she looked at him, tilting her head in a gesture for him to move towards her, "Come here, Chief." She said gently. Obediently, he approached the berth and sat on it beside her, the human's tiny form dwarfed massively by his own. So different they were…and yet they knew one another inside and out in every way possible; emotionally, physically, even in the manner of the depths of their souls. Almost of its own volition, the seam in the Protoform's chest plating hissed in release; allowing the neon light of his Spark to gleam through. Tessa climbed his knee towards it, and with his help she was not rested in his palm at his chest, watching the protective plates slide aside to allow her access to the life-matter.

Her hands lifted towards it and she delighted in the sight of it accepting her touch by reaching several of the almost electrical tendrils to twine themselves around her fingertips. Optimus' chassis gave a rumbling hum of encouragement at the contact, and through the bond she felt the sensation of peace, comfort and trust that he emanated through the Spark's connection. Lifting herself higher, she pressed her forehead directly to the Spark matter and murmured contentedly as the energy allowed itself to seep non-physically into her chest, the sensation of warmth and affection caressing her heart. There was some level of physical pleasure in the action, with the electrical synapses tingling to every corner and extremity of her nerves and muscles; but that wasn't what the two of them focused on.

It was the sensation of unity, complete trusting and whole-feeling _unity_ that their attention was seized by. The feeling of having a second, external being knowing your every memory, every thought, every sensation…it was pleasure on a completely spiritual and non-physical level; like being given the answers to the universe and obtaining unbridled and unconditional _peace_ of oneself.

This night was the last thread of separation between their souls, and now they were body to body, skin to skin; soul to _soul_ in every sense of the meaning. Two beings from entirely different roots, cultures, worlds and lives…with their life-forces beating in sync as a single entity, despite all odds and differences…

Even if just for the night…Optimus Prime and Tessa Jackson, were one whole, and entirely complete being…Intertwined to one another for the rest of their lives.

**Nearly at the Dark of The Moon Arc now; probably only about 2 or 3 chapters until I do the time skip to the storyline, FINALLY. The sooner the better, in my opinion; but there's a few minor details to clear up soon, such as the arrival of the new Autobots, the N.E.S.T move to Washington D.C and also a possible 'first meeting' with Mearing and Tessa if I feel like it.**

**Peace out! :)**


	104. Lead Us Home

**I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I AM SO, SO, SO, SO, SOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRRRRRRRRRRYYYY!**

**I did not mean to keep you guys waiting for an update for THIS FREAKING LONG! TT_TT  
>I am a horrible, cruel and meeeaaann author, and I am so sorrrrrryyy! I had SOOOO much Writer's Block the last few weeks, and it's STILL not freaking completely gone which is ANNOYING! I've also been in Melbourne with my sister (<strong>_**who you may all remember has run away from home**_**) **

**She's not going to come back…but we're trying to at least repair our relationship, however hard that may be; so I haven't had a lot of writing time.**

**ANYWAYS! I finally have an update for you TT_TT**

_**THIS PART OF THE AUTHOR'S NOTE IS IMPORTANT, READ IT!**_

**This chapter is set about a year and a half after the previous chapter.**

**N.E.S.T moves to Washington in this one, and I'm setting it up to get started on the Dark of the Moon Arc, so roughly between 2-4 more chapters before we FIIINAALLLLLLLLLLLYY get to the Arc I've been waiting to write since STARTING this story. Mearing will be making her first appearance in the next chapter or so; keep an eye out ;P  
>So, just to recap so that everyone is on the same page….<strong>

**A YEAR AND A HALF TIME SKIP IN THIS ONE!**

**Which means it's about another year before DOTM starts, and the next few chapters will be slightly time-skipping as well.**

**I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT, PLEASE ENJOY THIS CHAPTER WITH MY HUMBLEST AND SINCEREST APOLOGIES TT_TT Life is too hectic.**

**Enjoy.**

Tessa could not bite back the worry in the back of her mind.

For the last three weeks, she had been aiding the N.E.S.T soldiers and personnel in packing and boxing the materials and equipment on base to make the ready for transport. The facility was being moved, by order of the President himself, to a more 'accessible' location. Basically it meant that the government wanted to be able to keep an eye on N.E.S.T and its operations; more importantly the alien refugees within its care. Tess found herself resenting the big wigs and their desperation to have tight control over everything, even when it didn't concern them; the Autobots and their comrades did amazing work and protected the people, whereas human government just wanted to line their pockets and maintain power. But in any case, it was not really her position to comment.

N.E.S.T was being moved…to Washington D.C.

This was where her dilemma had planted itself in the back of her brain. Nobody had mentioned anything about what would happen with her work, and her position at the military facility. It was several hours of driving to reach Washington from her current residence, not at all practical to commute to. Not to mention that even with her wage from N.E.S.T, she couldn't _afford_ to just pick up and leave. Housing in Washington was incredibly expensive, particularly in the built up city areas where apartments were very much beyond her price range.

Tess felt a very mild panic grip her chest at her slowly whittling options as she presented them to herself. She had not spoken to anyone about her concerns mostly because everyone on base was stressed out more so that she was. Whether it be because of orders being received from the JCS and the President or the general stress of having to organize a move for an entire arm of the military; everyone had their own problems, and hers felt so miniscule in comparison.

But what if she had to _quit_?

The very thought itself made her stomach churn. She couldn't do that; she wouldn't be able to leave Optimus. Her heart sank with worry, because she couldn't leave him; but at the same time, she could neither commute all the way to D.C _nor_ afford to live there. Tess found herself wishing that they hadn't even needed to transfer the N.E.S.T base, but there was valid reason behind it.

Not only did the government prefer the idea of being able to have easy access to the top secret arm of the military, but Lennox had explained to Tess that the new Autobot team would be arriving within a few months. The base was getting too conspicuous with the increasing number of Autobots that would be introduced, and they would need a much more concealed and secure location to live in, that was where Washington came in to play.

Apparently there was a massive facility waiting for N.E.S.T once they got there, large and secure enough for all of the new Autobots and for the strike team's covert operations. But that still left her wondering about her own personal dilemma.

Where did one little grease monkey fit into it all? Would N.E.S.T help her get a place to stay?

Looking around at her packed up workshop, she gave a heavy sigh and ran a hand through her hair worriedly as the thoughts turned over in her mind. There had to be a solution that she wasn't seeing, because these were her _friends_, they weren't just going to leave her out in the cold; they were all well aware of the intense bond between she and Prime, they wouldn't just be _separated_ like that.

The mechanic was jostled from her musings as she heard the sound of boots crunching the concrete behind her, and she turned to find Graham walking into the workshop with a box-taper in his hand and a smile on his face. "Well, we're all done with the last of the packing…_finally_. All the last few loads of equipment should be all loaded up onto the transports in the next few days, so you'll be ready by then right?"

Tess froze, genuinely confused by his statement. "What…? What do you mean ready to go?"

Graham gave her a bewildered look, as though she had just grown a second head. "Didn't Lennox explain it to you before he left for Washington?"

"Explain what? Am I going with you for the move…? I can't afford to get a place in D.C, Graham; what's happening with my job…?"

She watched as Graham groaned and shook his head exasperatedly as he put the tape on the bare work station where she used to work on small parts, and where she'd designed her temperature charge cannon that now resided in Optimus' care. "You're serious? Lennox really _didn't_ tell you?" he took her by the shoulder and gestured to the now packed up garage that was once her work station, "You're not being discharged, Tess; they're making provisions for you _on-base_ in Washington. You really think that they'd just...drop you?"

Tessa's jaw was hanging open in surprise as she took in the revelation, "No, I just…I don't know, I guess I just thought I was going to have to try and save up to get a place in Washington…then I'd be able to follow you guys there afterward."

Graham scoffed at her in disbelief, "Seriously, Tess? Do you really think that Optimus would let us go anywhere without you? Hell, I can't believe Lennox forgot to bloody _tell_ you; I guess he didn't get the chance, what with head of JCS issuing us transport orders and everything..."

Relief swamped the mechanic, and she suddenly felt incredibly foolish for not having brought it up; instead having chosen to stay quiet simply because everyone was stressing themselves out about the move to Washington.

"Wow…I feel like an idiot now…"

Graham shook his head and threw an arm over her shoulder as he picked up the box-taper and guided her out of the garage, "They already arranged something with your landlord this morning, they'll be covering the exit fee for breaking your rental contract, all you need to do is box up your stuff and move it out; pretty sure Prime's new trailer would help out with that."

Tessa laughed and thought back to the shiny, massive trailer that had been imported and custom built for the Prime, remembering just how precise she had been in detailing the paintjob of the Autobot symbol on it. "Yeah…he was like a girl with a new handbag with that thing…Jeez, don't tell him I said that!" she laughed, shaking her head with a grin, "Mind you I don't think he really likes the idea of carting around all that arsenal equipment; for all Chief's warfare experience…I know he doesn't like having to fire a gun at _anyone_…"

"I have no doubt that you know that better than anybody." He laughed, "Now, seeing as Lennox forgot to inform you of the details regarding _you_ in the move; it looks like you're going to have a _lot_ of packing to do in a pretty short span of time, so maybe you'd better get home and sort that, hmm?"

With a relieved and amused sound, Tess gave a nod and tightened her arm around Graham in a hug, "Thanks." In response he shrugged and offered her that cheeky, British smirk that he was renowned for, amused by the worries that she had unnecessarily placed on herself.

"Anytime."

-0-0-0-0-0-

"Woooow!" Tess exclaimed vibrantly, her eyes widening at the sight of the building. On the front in big bold letters she saw the words 'Department of Health and Human Services' on the front, "This is N.E.S.T?"

"Yes." Optimus replied, the gears in the cabin of the truck shifting as he spoke so that he could slow down. They were in the heavily populated centre of the city, so he was having to be mindful of all the smaller cars. There was a small crowd of curious bystanders near the building, obviously wondering why so many military vehicles were going back and forth from what looked like 'Health and Human Services' to them.

Tess knew better, and it felt strange to be one of the people who were _in_ on the secret.

"Wow…" she said again, leaning forward and watching as they entered in the gates. All of her furniture, her car, every object she owned, was in the trailer of the Peterbilt. She'd spent the few days packing like a madwoman in an attempt to be ready on time for the move. Tess had needed help getting her heavier furniture and such into the load, and because of that she'd had to call Phil and Riley to assist.

_That_ had led to her having to tell them about the move, and so because of that she and Optimus had taken a night away from the packing to spend dinner with her family, to say goodbye. It was several hours drive from her home to get to Washington, which meant that family visits were going to be whittled down to a very small number.

This had upset Lucy to no end.

The child had cried and wailed and held onto Tessa like a growth, begging her not to go. When Emma had finally managed to pull Lucy off the mechanic, the little girl had done the next best thing she could think of.

She'd latched onto the Peterbilt.

Optimus had been unable to assist because he was unable to transform with her attached to him, _and_ he just didn't have the Spark to try and pull her off with the Holoform. In the end, he and Tess had assured her that they would try to visit as often as they were able to. Optimus had even gone so far as to tell her that she would be welcome on base at any time her family was in Washington. Tess didn't try to point out that Lucy's lack of 'clearance' would probably twist some panties with the superiors at N.E.S.T, because quite frankly she wouldn't have been able to break Lucy's heart like that. Instead, she decided to give the girl a role, explaining to Lucy that she would have to look after Thomas and help keep him safe while the Autobot leader and the mechanic were gone. Lucy was almost 8 years old now, and Thomas was hitting 3. The little boy was far too young to understand that Optimus was a giant alien robot, because all her knew the man as was simple 'Uncle'. He had seen the transformation from truck to bipedal, but the little toddler's only apparent thoughts on the matter were 'big' or his favourite term, 'walkie truck'.

Once Lucy had been given the responsibility of watching Thomas for Optimus, she had reluctantly let go of the truck's side door and instead hugged the grill of the behemoth vehicle with a mumbling whimper.

Tessa had found it difficult to say her goodbyes to her parents, to Nora, to her brother; she'd even had Aaron on the phone while she was talking to her family, just for the sense of having him there. She'd held her father for a long time before he'd let her go, and Optimus had easily seen the strength that Phil Jackson had held his daughter with, the way the semi-retired housepainter gripped her shoulders and cradled her to his chest. It touched him to see the tight-knit family supporting each other as they always had, but he also could not help but feel somewhat responsible for taking her from the people she had grown up with.

On the road when he had mentioned this feeling, Tess had reassured him, telling him that it was a normal, natural step in human relationships.

"_We're married now, Chief._" She'd explained to him, "_In human culture, when someone gets married it's the next step of both their lives. They separate from their roots and grow __together_."

She had informed him about the process of different racial traditions where a woman was under the care of her parents and once she married, it would be the 'duty' of the husband to love, protect and care for her. These reassurances did serve to make him rethink the idea that he was stealing her from her family, from the place she loved; she assured him that she wanted nothing more in the world than to continue living in _his_ world.

And Prime had to admit, he would never have been able to leave her behind.

As the two of them finally came to a stop inside the massive building, the brakes hissed and the truck came to a slow, lurching stop. Tess gently patted the steering wheel with an affectionate smile and jumped down from the cabin, hearing the truck detach from the trailer and the whirring, sliding sound of hydraulics filled the air. Even despite their years together, Tessa never lost her fascination for the process Optimus went through to transform; it still astounded her.

"Hey you two!" called Lennox, waving as he approached them through the hubbub to greet the Prime and his lady, "About time you got here! What do you think of the setup, hey Tess?"

He gestured to the large space that was bustling with activity around them, soldiers and analysts and people in suits, the place was a hive of people trying to get their jobs done to organize their new headquarters. Tess gave a smile and looked at Lennox with a rather cheeky expression.

"Well, I feel a lot better about it now that I've actually been _told_ that I'm not getting left behind!" she teased, thumping him lightly in the arm. Sheepishly Lennox began to rub the back of his neck with an awkward grin, like that of a teenager who had forgotten to take the trash out.

"Yeah…Graham chewed my ear off about that…sorry…"

Tess laughed and wrapped one of her arms around him for a half-hearted hug and a broad, cheeky smile. "Hey, I'm just glad that you guys didn't finally get sick of me and try to drop me!" she teased, ruffling Lennox's hair with a giggle.

To her surprise, Lennox gave a rather adamant scoff at the accusation and shook his head, "You kidding? We wouldn't have had a living space built into the base if we didn't want to keep you around."

"Yeah, I guess you guys just…wait…_built_ a living space? You mean you had to actually alter the function of a building to make room for me? Will! I don't want to be some pain in the as to everybody, how much time and effort did _that_ take up?" she exclaimed, holding him at arm's length.

To her surprise, Lennox looked up at Optimus and gave a smile, his eyes saying something that she was not understanding; something was going on without her _again_. "Well, Tess…" Lennox said with a somewhat teasing tone in his voice, "Your uh…'accommodation' had really…_specific_ requirements, so we had to contract some of the builders who were fixing up the place do a little side project. It wasn't cheap, but government's paying… With you being the only human with such _personal_ contact with the Autobots, I figure it's in their best interest to do right by you."  
>"R…right by me? Specific <em>requirements<em>…? I don't understand…?"

"You will, follow me." Lennox took off in a brisk, purposeful march as he gestured for Tess to pursue after him, borderline scratching her head in confusion at his seemingly excited mood. He was like a little kid trying to show their mother an accomplishment; although admittedly she _was_ a little excited to see her room. After all, this was going to be something of her new home with N.E.S.T and the Autobots…with Optimus. She hoped that it was at least a little more private than the barracks she'd had to stay in while at Diego Garcia, or at least with a private shower or something.

Following him to a further in section of the massive new building, Tess was able to observe the differences between the Diego Garcia base, and the Washington one. The new 'Health and Human Services' cover building had been hollowed out in many sections, rather than being the office building that it looked like from the outside. There was plenty of space for the Autobots to walk about freely in their true forms, and on her way through, Tess spotted a very large section of the building that would serve as Ratchet's new medical bay; he and Mikaela were already visibly setting up equipment and tools.

The younger mechanic had flourished under Ratchet and Tessa's guidance and care; having found her true calling after the breakup with Sam. Bumblebee had returned to base for missions, but often he spent the majority of his time trying to balance back and forth between Sam and Mikaela's company; being in the difficult position of being friends with both of them.

Tess felt for him, she really did.

"Okay, here we go; this is you." Lennox said, suddenly interrupting Tessa's thoughts. He had stopped outside a massive steel door, large enough for any one of the Autobots to fit through, beside it was a more 'human' sized entrance with a punch in number pad beside it. The soldier gestured to it, "This is your lock, all you have to do is put in a 6 digit number that you'll remember; easy right?"

"Sure," Tess said with a nod, "but Lennox…what's with these?" she gestured to the massive wall of steel that was in front of her before the soldier started to laugh at her, pointing to the Prime who was following behind with a quite air about him.

"You want Optimus to be able to get in, right? This isn't just your place, Tess; we made it so that you two can…cohabitate."

The mechanic heard the gears turning in Prime's legs as he crouched down behind them, motioning to the doors, "I thought it would be an appropriate step, therefore I asked if it were possible to make a space that would allow us to reside in the same location, while still retaining the proper functionality for both our needs." Before Tess could close her jaw (_seeing as it was currently hanging open in surprise at the conspiracy_) Optimus wirelessly accessed the door, having pre-programmed the tech within it onto his personal com-frequency. The metal barricades slid open to reveal the large, open space inside it which Tessa stepped in to.

"Oh…my…God…" she whispered, looking around in disbelief.

A large area of the space was set up very similarly to Optimus' private chamber at Diego Garcia, with the large work space and a berth to the corner where he could stasis; however it was the seemingly unique _new_ additions to the set-up that touched and awed her. A large, open 'loft' area was visible from the ground, and as she watched Optimus step into the room, she realized that the upper floor's level came roughly up to his chest. If she were standing up there, she would easily be able to converse with him.

"This, is your new 'apartment' Tess." Lennox said with a grin, "Here, let me walk you through the idea." He took Tess gently by the shoulder and guided her to the underneath of the loft, where there was a step onto a wooden platform. There was a kitchen space setup with countertops, a dishwasher and sink, with a fully equipped stove and oven. "This here is your kitchen, obviously; we had to keep it on ground floor for safety measure, and over here this big space will be sort of like a lounge room."

Lennox moved out from the kitchen and motioned to the big empty floor space. The 'apartment' was up against the wall side of the massive room, but one wall was 'cut away' so that it was an openly shared space between her and Optimus. The soldier looked over at the Autobot leader with a knowing smile, understanding just how much it meant to the Prime to give his mate a place to live where they could be close together, "Over there are your stairs, we went with a spiral staircase to save on space, but back here is your freight elevator, for when you need to get the big heavy stuff upstairs."  
>Tessa shook her head in disbelief, still unable to bring her jaw back up from the floor, "There's an <em>upstairs<em>? Wow…Oh my God, Lennox…this is…wow…"

Will scoffed at her, "Oh come on, let's go up."

Obediently, the little mechanic followed the soldier up the narrow, metal staircase, her eyes darting over to Optimus incredulously with disbelief, "Chief, were you _in_ on this?"

A single nod was his response, accompanied by a simple, "I was."

"Okay, up here…" Lennox continued, "is your 'bedroom' so to speak." He gestured to the massive open space of the upstairs loft area. At the edge of it was a chest high metal railing to prevent any unlikely spills or tumbles from the second storey of the apartment, and there was plenty of space for her to arrange her bedroom furniture in almost any fashion she liked; there would even _easily_ be space for her to set up a study in the far corner of the room. "This is incredible…" she whispered to herself, earning another well-accomplished smile from Lennox, who was actually thoroughly glad to see her so happy with the set-up.

"In here is the ensuite bathroom, fully equipped and ready to go; though let me tell you, it was a _hell_ of an ordeal trying to get a bathroom set up on a second storey like this. Houses are one thing, but an open loft is another. Oh, and over there is a spare, empty room; you could probably set up a gym or extra storage space in there. But that's up to you, this is your place now-"

She cut him off before he could say anything, with a massive hug around his torso and held him tightly. "Thank you, to _everyone_…Lennox this-" her voice caught in her throat as tears clouded her words, the sheer touching gesture of a gift as incredible as this… "This is…just…I don't know how to repay this…"

Lennox gave a laugh and embarrassedly patted Tess on the head before giving her a rather embarrassed hug. "Ah don't think anything of it; you're a part of our team Tess, and we're all family here. I mean, you're _married_ to the leader of an alien race, you know. That kind of makes you an ambassador, so you should totally get perks, right?"

Tess laughed through her heartfelt tears, wiping them away with a red tinge crossing her cheeks, "Well, I don't know about _ambassador_, Lennox. I'm hardly the pencil-skirt-business-suit-office-type, you know?"

She turned and leaned over the railing with a content, completely humbled smile, reaching her hand out to Optimus in a 'come over here' gesture, to which he easily complied. Looking around at the new, dual-purposed space that they would now be sharing, Tess gave a teary grin and placed her hand on the Prime's chest plate from her raised loft 'apartment' that they would be sharing hence forth. He did not miss the way her eyes gleamed through her tears, so touched and honoured by the gesture that N.E.S.T had made to all but make her feel like a member of their highly secretive, incredibly _strange_ family. Through her grin, she stared up at him, her eyes burning into his optics as her voice dropped to a teary whisper.

"Welcome home, Chief."


	105. Down From The Sky

**I have nothing to say other than I'm so sorry T~T  
>You probably all haaaate me for these late updates, but I am trying to fight this Writer's Block for you guys! I'm really, really trying; because I love you guuuyss!<strong>

**So the 'new arrivals' finally make their appearance.**

**Just so everyone is clear, when they first arrive, all the new bots are in PROTOFORM, because let's think about it; they haven't had a chance to scan any vehicles yet. They also speak Cybertronian at first, because they don't know English yet! Duurrr :P**

**Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy.**

Readjusting to life on-base at N.E.S.T had simultaneously been both difficult and easy for Tess. Settling in to her work regime was easy, because once she had her tools within reach and a vehicle or Cybertronian to work on, it was easy to slip back into her regular routines and habits.

The far stranger adjustment was getting used to living on base, sharing a permanent space with Optimus that was _theirs_. The massive loft-style room had been filled with all of Tessa's furniture and personal belongings, and there was even space below her 'apartment' to be able to park her Valiant, given that almost every location in N.E.S.T's new facility was vehicle accessible, to accommodate for the Autobots in their alt modes. She needed to be able to get herself around when Optimus or one of the Autobots was not available to take her somewhere, which in all honesty she was thankful to be able to do herself. As much as she enjoyed the company of Optimus and his soldiers, the adjustment of _living_ with them naturally converged on what would normally be her solitary down-time; so to be able to go for a drive on her own was sometimes what she needed.

There had even been a few times that she and Optimus had argued, one time of which the soldiers found funny. They'd been later informed that Tessa had been suffering from what she'd referred to as 'her rags' which Lennox had explained as her monthly menstruation cycle, having suffered similar temper spits from his own wife.

The mechanic had just been having one of those days where nothing would go right, there had been a vehicle repair that couldn't be salvaged, she'd spilt a tin of grease on her jumpsuit pants and then she'd gone to hers and Prime's quarters to find out she had no Skittles to help her unwind. Optimus had made the mistake of asking her what was wrong, and she'd started on a tirade. Swearing, seething and throwing a few tools around the loft, she'd gotten into her car and left the base.

She'd returned roughly an hour later with a shopping bag full of new Skittle packets, and an apology ready on her tongue.

When the soldiers had found out about the tirade from Optimus' later explanations, it had become a source of amusement on base for the next few days. But for the most part, Tessa and Prime were no different than any other newly bond couple; regardless of the fact that one of them was 32 feet high. Some days were better than others, some were harder. They argued over little things every now and again, but all in all the two were a united front, and one was very rarely ever seen without the other.

Despite the adjustment it had taken to be sharing her private space, Tess was happy; she liked the thought of being able to have her Autobot living in the same communal space as her, it made her feel closer to him in a sense that she'd never had before. It was…homely, and she adored that. What she _didn't_ adore so much, was when he and the Autobots had to go on missions; some of which she had heard were not exactly 'on-the-books' as Lennox put it. The Cybertronian soldiers would occasionally get wind of a problem or dangerous conflict that N.E.S.T was not technically allowed to deal with because of too much political or legal red-tape. In instances such as these, where they _knew_ the right thing to do but were barred from acting on it, they were known to sneak off base to solve the matter.

Lennox never openly stated any appreciation for this, and always reprimanded them accordingly…but only because legally he had to. Although the methods were off-book, he could not deny that it relieved him when certain conflicts were taken out of his hands and dealt with by Optimus. Sometimes the right thing to do wasn't necessarily always the obedient way.

But today was not another one of the missions where the Autobots had to leave base alone; Tessa was being invited for what N.E.S.T had titled Operation Pick-Up.

Optimus had received confirmation that the incoming Autobot ship had reached Earth's orbit, and would be arriving within a few hours. He had been informed to give them the landing co-ordinates to a military landing base, and upon landing the ship would be handed over into NASA's care for study and safe-keeping. The Earth government apparently still did not welcome the idea of harbouring aliens on their shores; and Tessa found this both childish and extremely offensive.

How many times did the Autobots have to _save_ their asses before humanity realized they _needed_ them?

"Hey Chief." She smiled, leaning over the railing on the raised catwalk to watch the Autobot leader study the path of the incoming ship, "Is everyone ready to go?"

He looked over at her before observing the screens once more and nodding with a heavy exhale, "Yes. We are departing for pick-up, for your own safety I wish you to ride with me."

"My…my safety?" she questioned slowly, "But…what's the danger? I thought it was just a collection mission?"

Optimus shook his head and held out a hand to her gently, allowing her to climb the railing and into his open palm as he moved to the holding bay where Lennox's men were stationed. Lennox was unable to go with them to the pick-up, so Graham and Epps were leading the mission in his stead. The Major had to have a meeting with a particular diplomat, and from what Tessa had heard around base, it was the replacement Director.

She just prayed that were not like Galloway.

N.E.S.T had been supervised by a council under the command of the JCS after Optimus' 'exile' of Galloway, but apparently the leaders in the government had decided that closer control was required. In a way Tessa found this insulting, because it felt like every step of the way, the world leaders were trying to stop a revolution or an overthrow from the Autobots. She could not help but be angered by the thought that if perhaps these political _fat-cats_ just took the time to speak to the Autobots, speak to _Optimus_, they would realize the sort of honourable, good being that he was.

"The danger aspect is merely that of precaution, Tessa." Optimus explained to her gently, "During the war on Cybertron, Decepticons were known to interfere with the signals of Autobot ships, they often _hijacked_ the signatures of fallen crafts and used them as a mask."

Tessa was silent for a moment as she contemplated what it was that he was saying, finally understanding his concern, "You're worried that this is a trick…"

"I am." He admitted, loudly enough only for her to hear.

With a worried expression, she took note of his low tone and glanced around at the vehicles and soldiers that were readying themselves for the retrieval mission. Tess then furrowed her brow and chewed her lower lip before placing a gentle, comforting hand on one of the Prime's fingers. "You don't want to worry them." She guessed, confirming this with a simple nod of his head which allowed her to continue. Tess gave a sigh and shook her head, trying to remain positive as she looked him in the eye; she knew how easily Optimus worried, particularly when it came to the safety of his soldiers, "It'll be okay, Optimus. There'll be enough people to fight back if things aren't what they seem."

He was silent for a moment as he gently lowered her to the ground and transformed into the familiar form of the Peterbilt Tess had grown to love so much. She watched as the driver's side door popped open as an invitation for her to climb in while they awaited the orders for departure. Clearly he did not want to discuss this where the others could hear, they were all in such an excited mood about the arrival of new allies, and he obviously did not want to ruin that for them.

They deserved some good news for a change.

"The new arrivals being fraudulent may not be the only threat, Tessa. Even if they genuinely are Autobots, the signal they used to connect to us may have been located. It was a general, scouting beacon; designed to be sent as a generic homing device for allies to discover. This means that it is quite possible that the Decepticons could have come across it also, and there is a very real threat for danger, Tessa."

He sounded so serious, so stressed, and it broke her heart to hear it. Optimus was so used to the Autobots being so outnumbered, and having such weighted odds against them that he was always prepared for the worst. Deciding to try and lighten up the heaviness of the situation, she smiled and ran a hand along the dashboard gently.

"Don't worry, Chief. I'll protect you." She said with an amused quirk on her lips, "I won't let them hurt you."

There was a brief moment of silence as he comprehended her humour in the comment, and then a soft, genuine chuckle escaped the speakers. "A human, protecting a Cybertronian a hundred times her size… Somehow, love…this is not at all surprising."

She felt her heart swell fondly at the use of the nickname, because it was not often that Prime used such 'pet name' terms for her. It was not generally characteristic for the leader, so when he did she felt a rather strong sense of flattery.

"Didn't anybody tell you, baby boy?" she quipped, "I'm the real deal."

Another good-humoured chuckle rumbled up the speakers, and Tessa found herself glad to hear him laugh. He needed for this day to end well, they all did. There was so little good news in comparison to the bad; she _wanted_ Optimus to be reunited with more of his soldiers, to be able to see that there were more than just a handful of survivors from his homeworld. He deserved the chance to rejoice for something other than just making it through another day, or another battle.

Finally, she heard the shouted order to move out from base, and with a soft sigh, she leaned back into the seat and traced her fingers across the leather in an attempt at a comforting gesture. "Come on, Optimus…let's go pick up your soldiers."

-0-0-0-0-0-

The ride to the NASA base was not a short one, from Washington it was a few hours of good solid driving. This was mostly due to the remoteness of the base, and for good reason. The government did not want word getting around about the Autobots, although they were pretty much the world's worst-kept secret nowadays, having conspiracy theorists and 'fans' attempting to flesh out the truth. N.E.S.T and the government military did their best to keep it under wraps, but many people at least new the 'urban myth' about the aliens no matter how much they were tried to be kept hidden.

Tessa fell asleep in the cabin once on the way, but Optimus had apologetically woken her up, informing her that he would rather she stay alert in case he needed to expel her from the cabin on chance of a Decepticon attack.

All the soldiers, both human and Cybertronian, were being sure to stay alert and aware, keeping their senses and their equipment on the lookout for any untoward attacks from their enemies. Lennox had radioed in to tell Optimus that they would be organizing a meeting with the Director of National Intelligence, who had been appointed the new liaison between N.E.S.T and the National Security. Apparently the Director was insisting on 'laying down the rules' to Optimus and the squads he commanded, wanting to do so before the new soldiers arrived on base.

To Tess, it just sounded like another Galloway in the making… But she pushed the thought aside, her eyes searching the horizon with unskilled eyes in an attempt to lookout for trouble. It was a noble effort, but she knew that with her zero battle experience, she had no idea what to even _look_ for. She was a mechanic not a soldier; she recognized fuel leaks, not ambushes.

Sighing heavily, she reached in to the back seat and picked up the temperature charge cannon that she and Ironhide had made with Ratchet, feeling its weight rested in her lap.

There was a sense of safety having it close, not that she ever wanted to have to use it…but having it present made her feel like she wouldn't be useless. Ironhide had spent the last year and a half training with her in her free time, and she had improved greatly. She was still a fairly mediocre shot, but at least now she had learned to compensate for the recoil by leaning forward to fire it. She'd also discovered that against a Decepticon, heat rounds were more effective than the frozen rounds, because according to Ratchet this had something to do with the molecular makeup. Cybertronian metal was sensitive to heat, able to be melted and burned, whereas extreme cold simply put the Cybertronian into a 'hibernation' rather than being damaged.

Ratchet had explained that during the war, severely cold temperature tools were sometimes used on the battle field to force a soldier into stasis so that the medic could work. In cases of severe damage and borderline death, the Spark itself could be flash-frozen into a medical stasis-lock and kept in 'sleep mode' until the bot's body could be repaired.

As morbid as it was, Tess had been fascinated by this line of conversation, because she was still learning Cybertronian 'medicine' from the medic; she wanted to be able to help in a crisis if need be. Both Tess and Mikaela had a natural understanding of mechanics, and therefore their study of mechanical medicine with Ratchet was much easier than teaching someone completely new. Already they were capable of sealing Energon lines and dealing with minor circuitry unsupervised, and under Ratchet's guide they often aided him with larger repairs. Tess had also learned a great deal about Spark repairs, because she would sit in on Optimus' check-ups that Ratchet still insisted on maintaining. He wanted to keep a vigil on the bond, no matter how long it had been since its occurrence. It was evidently not necessary, because all functions on both Prime's Spark and Tessa's heart, were completely normal.

Tess was interrupted from her thoughts as the NASA shuttle base finally came to view on the horizon, and her eyes widened almost excitedly, "Is this it?" she asked eagerly, leaning forward to get a better look through the windshield.

"Yes."

The mechanic's expression lit to one of glee, feeling that childhood giddiness of seeing something new and exciting, and what kid didn't want to see a NASA base? Her fingers curled on the leather as they drove closer, and Tess glanced around to view the N.E.S.T vehicles that were among the Autobots' alternate modes. "How much longer until they land…?" she asked finally.

Optimus was quiet for a moment, obviously checking his internal signals or something of the like to track the incoming movement. "An hour at most, from what I can gather. The signal is much stronger now."

"You still worried?"

"..."

"Optimus." Tess said sternly, knowing what he was feeling, wanting him to _talk_ to her about it.

"…Yes, I am still worried." He said finally, "I do not wish to raise the hopes of my soldiers only for it to end in another battle…they deserve some _good_ news, Tessa."  
>She gave a heavy sigh and gently traced her fingers across the leather of the upholstery, "I know they do. You do too, Chief; everything will work out okay…you'll see. Nothing will go wrong, and you'll have a bunch of new soldiers to help you win this war." She exclaimed positively, forcing an optimistic smile at the rear view mirror for him to see.<p>

"…I hope that you are right, Tess."

Without another word on the subject, Tessa climbed down from the cabin of the Peterbilt to give Optimus the free space he needed to transform. The NASA base was evidently far enough away from any unauthorized witnesses that the bots could freely move about in natural form. As expected, the rest of the Autobots had taken their bipedal modes and were securing the perimeter. Tess spotted Epps and Graham addressing a troupe of the soldiers, providing them with instructions and orders. It seemed that they too were concerned about the chance of the incoming ally ship being a trick, and as such Epps was preparing the soldiers for the worst. It seemed that caution was a part of being a soldier that Tess had yet to learn; giving the benefit of the doubt could be a fatal mistake.

It just made her realize how little about war she still understood, and the very thought made her fingers tighten around her charge-gun before attaching it to the harness on her back. Mikaela had helped her make it, a simple leather brace that she could adjust the size of depending on how tightly or loosely she wanted it strapped against her chest. The charge-cannon would rest safely along Tessa's spine until she chose to carry it in her hands.

As Tess watched the bots and the soldiers communicating different orders, preparing for both the best and worst outcomes, she felt a sense of giddy worry. She hoped against hope that these new Autobots were everything they needed them to be.

The time passed quicker than she had suspected it would, mostly because at one point she'd had Optimus lift her onto his shoulder and she'd occupied herself by conversing with him. She watched the congregation from her perch, noticing that Epps seemed to be greatly enjoying himself on the air base, seeming completely comfortable and familiar with the requirements and protocols surrounding the job. It felt good to see him enjoying himself.

"Incoming!" called one of the soldiers, pointing to a large object descending from the sky.

In all her life, Tess had never seen anything like it. It was like watching a massive ball of fire rain down from the heavens, making its way toward the assigned base. Her eyes were wide and her jaw hung open in awe at the scene, seeing the shape of the alien ship finally taking form as it began to slow its descent and approach the landing area.

Tess almost jumped in surprise as she felt Optimus tense, feeling the wires throughout his shoulders tighten in response to the action. She furrowed her brows worriedly and pursed her lips, resting a hand gently against the gears of his helmet. His optics glanced over to her before he cycled an intake and took a step toward the ship, motioning for the soldiers to follow suit.

As the behemoth ship finally sank to the bare grass where the landing area was, Tess noticed that it was surrounded from every direction, both by human forces, and the Autobots themselves. Bumblebee was standing a little ways behind her and Optimus, and Ironhide was a little ways over on the opposite side with his cannons awaiting any form of order. She noticed Optimus suddenly raising his hand up to her as if to lift her down, his voice rumbling gently beside her.

"You should stay at a safe distance-"

"-No." she cut him off, "I'm staying right here with you, everything will be okay."

He held gazes with her for a few moments, but decided to let the subject drop as he viewed her expression; it was the 'I'm-not-budging' stubborn expression she wore when she insisted on something. He looked down to his feet to see Epps standing firmly, gun raised cautiously at the ready, prepared for whatever may happen.

Suddenly, all attention was drawn to the massive alien ship as a loud, mechanical hissing emanated from it and an almost familiar whirring of gears grinding in transformation could be heard. A seam appeared at the entrance of the ship, and the sound of air escaping the cabin resounded throughout the evening setting, the sun beginning to set beyond the horizon leaving a slight chill in the air. Finally, the door to the ship slowly retracted open to allow the inhabitants to exit.

Tessa held her breath.

Several figures appeared in the doorway of the ship, and began to file out in a rather orderly fashion. Surely if they were Decepticons, they would have attacked by now?

Suddenly she heard Bumblebee give an excited, overjoyed whistling noise, and in an instant she turned her head sharply to watch the scout shoot forward and embrace one of the smaller of the new arrivals. Tess realized that this was the confirmation that they'd needed; Bumblebee _knew_ them, or one of them at least. Surprisingly, Sideswipe was the next to seemingly recognize the bot that Bumblebee was excitedly dancing around.  
>"Que!" he said in disbelief, "Dino!"<p>

The newest arrivals looked around at the Autobots of Earth, and they began to garble in Cybertronian, a sound which still fascinated and baffled Tess to hear it. That was when she realized that they had not encountered humans before, they knew nothing about the language or the inhabitants. This was only confirmed when one of the smaller bots looked up at Optimus with a respectful eye, before its gaze fell to her; and she could have sworn that it –_he?_- was giving a look of shock and alarm.

Before she could blink, the new Autobot had screeched something metallic in Cybertronian and laughed blades onto his forearms, swiping at her with terrifying precision and speed. Tessa could do nothing but scream, raising her arms in a vain attempt to shield herself as she sealed her eyes shut in panic.

A resounding sound of metal on metal caused her to open her eyes again, and to her shock, she found that Optimus' opposite arm had come up to grasp the wrist of the attacker in his other hand, her bondmate's own Cybertronian ringing through the air and causing every bot to stand at attention.

"Ratchet," Optimus suddenly said in English, "Provide them the language intel; a communication barrier will do us no good."

With a nod, the medic stepped forward and raised his palm upright as a wavering yellow glow emanated from it. A low, rhythmic humming began to ring in Tessa's ears as what she assumed was language data was streamed through the air on Cybertronian frequency. It took only the span of a few seconds, and finally the ringing stopped, followed by Optimus reaching a finger up to cradle her in concern.

"Are you unharmed?" he asked gently, his optics betraying his worry. Tessa nodded hastily, her heart still in her throat from the sudden confusion and surprise.

"I'm fine, Chief. Talk to them, they're confused."

"Prime, ya' have a scraplet on ya' shoulder! Dino's just try'n ta help." came a loud, almost obnoxious sounding, heavily Scottish accent, "Ay, lookat 'em all! They're everywhere!" he gestured to the soldiers that were still aiming somewhat cautiously at the newcomers.

"These are our human allies, Roadbuster." Optimus said sternly, and Tess was surprised to see that the leader did in fact _know_ these new Autobots, "They are friends, as you are. We are all on one side."

"They're so little!" came the accent of a Cockney variety, Tessa's gaze turning to the shorter, slightly 'fuller figured' bot.

"Wow…" Tess breathed, "This is incredible…"

"Primus, they speak!" drawled the one that had raised a blade at her, his voice thick with an Italian accent. Tess wondered just how _quickly_ Cybertronians could access languages, accents and habits, because so far they already seemed to be developing incredibly diverse personalities.

"This, Dino, is my mate. But we will explain that another time. For now, we must find you appropriate alternate modes for transport so that we may return to base."

"Aye! We ain't leavin' the Xanthium, Prime!" the one named Roadbuster suddenly blurted out, "No' in tha care a' _these_ little things!"

"Better get used to it, Wrecker." Ironhide said suddenly, sounding very much to Tessa like he was taking the second-in-command tone with the newcomer, "The humans may be small, but they can _fight_ when they want to. That one is proof enough of that." He gestured with a metal thumb, and Tessa realized that he meant _her_. Cheeks blazing, she gripped tighter to Optimus as he made his way towards where Bumblebee and Sideswipe were with the slightly 'gentler' framed new bot - Que - hadn't they called him?

She could make out another slightly Scottish sounding accent, although this one was far gravellier and much more sophisticated, like that of an old college professor or something of the like. She overheard the end of a conversation from Sideswipe's part, and it near broke her heart.

"So…Sunny wasn't with you…? You haven't heard _anything_?"

"Nope, I'm sorry Sideswipe. If I'd heard anything, I'd tell ya in a Spark flux! 'm sorry to hear ya still haven't found 'im."

"Yeah…"

Tessa watched the way Sideswipe's shoulders seemed to sink, and she suddenly felt bad for him. It was a very brief glimpse into just how much hurt he felt at not having his brother, his twin, judging by what Ultra Magnus had told her. To her surprise the deflated look was gone before she had the chance to say anything about it, swept under his cool, jovial exterior once again and it made her wonder; just how _good_ was Sides at hiding his emotions.

"Ah, Optimus! Good to see ya after all this time! Quite a ride we've been in the last years…leavin' Cybertron was…difficult."

Optimus placed a hand on Que's shoulder and gave a somewhat relieved expression, "We all share the experience, Que…let us take some comfort in that. Let's roll out, all of you will need alternate modes to blend in, only a handful of this planet's inhabitants are aware of our presence; we must remain covert."

Tess noticed the eyes of the silver, protoformed bot fall on her, and she suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious and out of place. The sight of their leader bearing a little…_bug_ on his shoulder had to be culturally stranger for these new soldiers, and Tess couldn't help but get uncomfortable at the idea of being thought of as such.

"And…this sparkling?" Que asked, sounding not offensive, but genuinely curious; something that somewhat relieved both Prime and Tessa, because it implied that he was not trying to be condescending or making an accusation, he was genuinely curious. But for now, Optimus shook his head slowly and gestured to the patrol of military vehicles that were waiting.

"Take the form of one of these vehicles, and then our escorts will patrol with you until you can find suitable personal alternates, I am required to return to our base beforehand to meet with the human's liaison. I will explain everything to you upon your return with the soldiers, be on alert; Decepticons are on this planet."

With a nod, Que returned to his travelling companions as Optimus belayed orders to his existing team. Jolt, Arcee, Sideswipe and the Twins would be teamed with the new bots to patrol the roads and try to find suitable vehicle forms for the new team members. Jolt was going as the team medic, just in case of any problems, while the rest of them where being assigned as weapon back up and protection, as was a troupe of assigned human military operatives. The remain bots and soldiers fell into line at Optimus' authorative command, and Tessa was finally able to climb into the Peterbilt's cabin out of view from prying eyes.

She sighed heavily as she felt the seatbelt click around her chest.

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked gently, knowing what was probably on her mind.

"Yeah…I guess I just…maybe sitting on your shoulder like that wasn't a good idea…They thought I was a _bug_, Optimus."

A heavy sigh sounded from the speakers as the engine started up, "They will grow to understand, Tessa. This world is new to them, and it will take some time for them to grow accustomed. Put it to the back of your mind for now…We have matters of our own to attend to."

"Huh…? _Oh_ right! We have to go and deal with Galloway the Second, don't we?" she groaned, "I swear if this new guy is just as bad, I quit."

Optimus gave a gentle chuckle, "You would not leave me to suffer such wrath alone, would you?" he chided in a somewhat mocking tone. Tessa prodded the dashboard with a sarcastic and jesting tone, settling into the seat as they headed back toward base in the twilight remainder of the sunlight.

"Sorry babe, every man for themselves on this one."

Another laugh was his only response.


	106. They Know Not

**So tired, so late, so blaaaaah! THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER BEFORE THE DOTM ARC!**

**We're there at long last people, the final leg of our Primary Mechanisms journey.  
>This is going to be the best Arc yet, and hopefully after this, I will have kicked my Writer's Block!<strong>

**I wanted to show a different approach with Mearing in this; because YES, she is a bitch, and I do not really like her. But I think her character has a little more integrity than Galloway. She isn't an IDIOT and she cares about her troops, however much she might not seem like it; so I wanted to try and display a very reluctant BEGINNING inkling of a deeper personality.**

**Eg: she sees Tessa's dedication and accepts it, not necessarily being NICE, but she doesn't go all 'V For Vendetta' on Tessa's ass like Galloway hahaha**

**Enjoy.**

It was just after 9:30 in the evening when Tessa and Optimus finally returned to the base in Washington.

Prime had been earlier contacted by Sideswipe, who was leading the team of soldiers and Autobots to guide the new arrivals around until they found suitable alternate modes other than the military vehicles. Evidently Sideswipe believed that they would probably not be arriving back at base until morning, seeing as how a few of them were incredibly _fussy_ about which vehicular mode they wanted. Dino, in particular, was being especially difficult, saying he needed something 'cut above the rest' before he would accept it.

Tess never thought she'd see the day that _Sideswipe_ would meet a bot vainer than he was. She found it to be a sweet, preciously karmic irony.

With confirmation that the new bots would not be arriving on base any time soon, Tess had to admit that she was relieved. With the new Director (_Or Galloway the Second, as Tess would call him until she found out his name_) coming to have the official briefing meeting with Prime, the last thing that they needed was a bunch of new Autobots making the team look disorganized and disrespectful.

The arrivals were not yet accustomed to Earth's ways, no matter _how_ quickly they could process the internet and all its information and history. They had only been there for a maximum of a few hours, and the government politicians already were not fond of N.E.S.T's little alien alliance, they could not afford to have the 'higher ups' thinking that they were out of their control.

As much as Tess hated to think it, the government didn't want an alien ally, they wanted a puppet; to feel like they were the ones calling the shots at N.E.S.T, even though the fat cats had zero idea about what good, righteous work they did. They needed to show their capability to listen to the Earth's officials, and Tess felt that the new bots would not see that side of it.

They would obey Prime; not some 'bug' sized humans. Hell, even _she'd_ already almost been squashed. Inwardly she sort of dreaded being introduced to the new bots as Prime's mate when they returned, what if that didn't go down well?

But as they finally pulled up on base, driving through the guarded gates at the entrance, Tess decided to push those thoughts to the side. She needed to have her game face on, she didn't want to get off to a bad start with the new Galloway.

Maybe this one would be more reasonable, and less of an asshole. She doubted it; because it was essentially just another 'suit' from the corporate military... and they very rarely ever understood the true sacrifice that the soldiers made.

Once the mechanic had climbed down from Prime's cabin, he was free to transform back into bipedal mode, rolling his shoulders subtly from the long drive as he was released from his vehicular confines. A calling voice caused them both to turn their heads, revealing Lennox on the ground, making his way briskly towards them. His face was set into a stern line, the aging stress lines showing on his forehead in the harsh floodlights that lit the warehouse's interior roofing.

Tess easily recognized this as his 'professional' or 'soldier' expression, which meant that the Director was probably already there. Tightening the sleeves of the jumpsuit that were tied around her waist, she tried to discreetly rub away some of the grease stains on her pants, but that did little more than smudge oil on her fingertips and make the stains more obvious.

Great… it looked like she was going to be making the same sort of impression as she had with Galloway the First. _Ah hell with it…the new guy can take me as I am_…

Lennox was being followed across the space by a decent sized convoy of several soldiers, one of two executive men in suits, and two women in business attire, one a young, Asian woman and the other a middle-aged blonde with a stern face and a confident posture. The mechanic wondered in the back of her mind, which of these corporate people was going to be their new Galloway.

However, being stationed at the feet of Optimus, with Ironhide on her other side and Ratchet close by, she felt a little more prepared than the first time she'd met Galloway.

"Optimus, this is Charlotte Mearing," Lennox said rather formally, standing in front of Prime with his hands clasped dutifully behind his back, "She's the Director of National Intelligence, She's been assigned to head the operations at N.E.S.T in place of Director Galloway."

Tess noticed that Optimus dipped his chin a little in a respectful nod, noticing the incredible way he was able to make his excess height _not_ make him seem superior or 'above' anybody else; even though quite _literally_, he was.

"An honour." He said calmly. Tessa was able to detect the distinct difference in his tone than normal, respectful and somewhat obedient in the way only a leader could be. It showed that he was still a commander, but that he was willing to listen to those who considered themselves his authorities. _She_ found it insulting, the idea that any human could even hope to measure up to one such as Prime, but as with when Galloway had first appeared on the scene, she admitted that such things were not her place to say.

She was still a mechanic, not a political representative. She knew that.

Director Charlotte Mearing seemed to be quite taken aback by the height and mass of the Autobots in the hangar, but she appeared to be hiding it marvellously. Only the fractional widening of her eyes and the arching of a brow gave any indication to her surprise. This was understandable though, because no matter how much this woman had heard about N.E.S.T's alien counterpart, and no matter how many photographs of them she may have seen; nothing on earth could ever compare to being _face to face_ with them.

It was a feeling that she herself knew well, nothing else even came close.

"Optimus Prime." Mearing said steadily, sounding calm and completely collected, making Tess have a flashback to her far less…_graceful_ first meeting with Optimus. She'd been nowhere near as composed as the Director, passing out was enough proof of that! She felt a little envious of the older woman's tact and subtlety. "I've been hearing a lot about you, and your so-called soldiers."

_So-called_? Tess thought bitterly as she heard Ironhide scoff at the term, _PLEASE don't be another Galloway…_

Mearing continued, her back straight and tall, with her arms folded almost languidly across her chest with an air of someone who knew the ways of the world. "CIA has been keeping tabs on the operations you do here. It seems your agents like to 'go rouge' every now and again, is this true?"

Tess heard the whirring above her as Optimus' optics focused, presumably the Cybertronian equivalent of narrowing them. His gaze was stern, and his expression clearly serious; she could read him so easily now. Even just a tiny shift in the metal of his features could tell her exactly what he was feeling, and right now he was keeping his demeanour as professional and to the point. There was no 'amicable' atmosphere right now, and it reminded Tessa of how it felt to be starting at a new job.  
>They were having a meeting with the 'new boss' so to speak, and they were the employees.<p>

"My soldiers perform the tasks that they must, in order to maintain peace among your people." Optimus said calmly, his optics following Mearing as she made her way up the metal stairs onto the catwalk frame, and Tessa watched her too; standing almost _dutifully_ near Lennox as to avoid unnecessary attention to herself. She didn't need to go mouthing off, that had not ended well last time with Galloway and she _very much_ doubted that it would go down well with this new woman either.

"Peace being performing rogue actions on an underground division in Taiwan four weeks ago? That was a squad of yours, I believe." Mearing said sternly, going to the computers and bringing up a map of the aforementioned location, setting a few digital markers to show the places the Autobots had been noted, "You hit the warehouses of a Taiwanese Triad gang, that's dangerous territory."

Tess turned her head to look at Optimus in concern, he had told her about Jolt, Bumblebee and Sideswipe going Taiwan for a mission that he could not tell her the specifics of, but she'd never realized that it was for something 'off the books' so to speak. To her surprise, she saw that Optimus' optics had actually narrowed visibly, and the tension in his shoulders showed that he was actually _irked_ about something. Tess also noticed the way his fingers curled slightly into a very brief, almost non-existent fist for all of a few seconds before he spoke again, his voice sounding serious and unshaken.

"They were commuting slaves…human slaves, Director. Your _people_, to be traded and used as currency, objects and tools; we have witnessed enough of this on our own planet, it cannot be condoned here." He said sharply, clearly this sort of subject hit a nerve with him; from what Tess could gather, Megatron's campaign to rule Cybertron had been something along the lines of practically creating slaving worship at his feet. Needless to say that Optimus would never be able to stand by and _watch_ it happen.

Mearing was folding her arms again, rested calmly against one of the computer desks as she spoke, regarding the massive robot as though he were nothing more than her subordinate. "What you did was stupid. If the Taiwanese government thinks for a second that the American military is trying to encroach their territory, _their_ issues; then it could start war, Prime."

"But, you just said that they did it without the support or permission of the military…doesn't that mean that our country wouldn't be held responsible?" Tess asked from the ground, genuinely not understanding the problem. The Autobots had done the _right_ thing, and would not have left a traceable trail that would go back to their government; they were smarter than that.

As if only just noticing the mechanic, Mearing looked down at her with a somewhat disinterested expression; like Tess was interrupting a conversation between the 'grown ups' almost…she almost regretted speaking up, because this woman sounded like she could easily and almost condescendingly correct her just with a speech.

"Maybe, but all they would need is to see us harbouring the team who intruded on their internal country affairs, and that would be enough. Whether or not it was the right thing, it's been done the _wrong _way."

"Well…with all due respect, Ms Mearing…what _was_ being done about it? I mean…how long have things like this been going on; we even have it happening _here_… If there's a right way to go about it…then why isn't it being done?"

Optimus appeared to give a slow, somewhat agreeing tip of his head, turning to Mearing to view her response. The older woman was collected, Tess would give her that; but she saw the tension in her forehead and the way the corner of her mouth tugged down in a somewhat bother frown. Clearly this woman, although obviously intelligent and good at her job, was irritated at the almost accusing tone. Tess didn't see anything wrong with doing the right thing, sometimes it had to be done regardless of protocols.

"I'm sorry, are you a soldier?"

"No." Tess said slowly, getting the gut feeling that this woman was about to win an argument with her words.

"No? What about a political representative?"

"…No…"

Mearing gave a thoughtful, seemingly sarcastic nod, "Right. You're not a soldier, and you're not a government superior. You're a _mechanic_; a military tradesperson. So do your trade, and leave the political things up to the politicians, okay? This doesn't concern you."

"All matters of Prime are concern to her." Ironhide barked suddenly, drawing the attention of Tessa as well as Mearing. Lennox looked like her was about to sweat bullets, clearly not wanting to get off to a bad start with this new director, despite how out of hand it seemed to be getting.

Ironhide's optics were focused sharply on the new woman, and he was already mentally drawing parallels to that snake, Galloway, when he had flat-out insulted Tessa. Seeing the little mechanic as something of a family member, as well as his Prime's mate caused him to immediately feel the need to defend her. In his eyes, as a soldier, to doubt Prime's capability to understand consequences was an _insult_ to Optimus, and the dismissal of a Prime's chosen bondmate was unacceptable.

"Excuse me?" Mearing said firmly, as though daring him to speak out of turn.

And Ironhide had never been one to back down from a dare…

"That is the mate of a Prime that you are disrespecting. Prime's affairs are _her_ affairs; do not challenge a Prime in front of me, femme."

Mearing looked down at Lennox with a disbelieving expression, her brow arched questioningly with a stern look. "These are your 'alien alliance' soldiers? They sound like disobedient children."

Lennox made an uncomfortable sound and awkwardly stiffened his back in an attempt to remain rigid. "Tessa Jackson has been our mechanic for a few years now. She's close with the Autobots, and…her and Optimus are…what Cybertronians call Sparkbound. It's their equivalent of marriage, Ma'am. It's a pretty big deal to their kind…soldiers especially."

Tess noticed the way that Mearing's lip tugged downward and her brow furrowed at the term Ma'am, and she found this odd given that the term was used to imply respect.

There wasn't much time to think on it though, because Mearing was speaking to Lennox again, sounding slightly more irritated than before.

"Jackson. I heard all about her, CIA wasn't pleased about that one, Colonel. Alien alliances are one thing, but _relations_ are another. Don't let it get out of hand, I don't need to be doing clean up over an inter-species break up just because some little girl was bi-racially curious."

A slam resounded through the hangar as Ironhide clashed his fists together, stepping forward with a furious whirring of joint gears, "You will learn to show _respect_ to the title of Prime, femme; or I will _make_ you learn it."

She turned to Ironhide with a calm, unfazed look as she returned his argument, leaning heavily on the railing to stare level with him "Threatening a federal agent won't win your 'Prime' any points on your behalf, soldier. I don't care what he is on your planet; here he is one of my soldiers, and so are you. So follow your orders." She pushed her arms off the railing and headed for the stairs at the end of the catwalk, turning to Optimus before she descended so that she could address him.

"You and your men are banned from any more of your little solo raids, Prime. You need to remember the people who are over your command; I have superiors as well, and they weren't happy with your choice. Learn to control your soldiers, Commander."

Ironhide was _shaking _with frustrated anger, and Optimus was carrying a lot of tension in his stance. Both of them were clearly offended by a multitude of the things the blonde woman had said, but they knew better than to make attempts to argue. The Director was a well-educated and confidently assured woman, Tess could feel it as she watched Mearing reach ground level and she saw the Asian assistant hand her a folder, opening and glancing at some papers as she prepared to walk away; evidently not even dwelling on any of the reprimands that she had given, she was just doing her job now. Instead of bothering to look at the Director as she neared, Tess chose to place a hand on Prime's foot and look up at him.

"It's okay, Chief. Don't worry about it…everything will be okay." She said to him, having to project her voice a little so that he could hear her from down on the ground. However this was unfortunate, because it drew Mearing's attention as she passed, and evidently the woman had a thing or two to say to the mechanic.

"Let me just remind you of something, Miss Jackson. You have a job to do here, one that lives can depend on"

Tess straightened her back suddenly, trying to show this woman that she wasn't about to be stepped on, "I'm aware of that, Ms Mearing. I do my job well, their safety is the most important thing in the world to me."

A nod. "Good. I'm glad to hear that. Just remember to keep your…_personal_ affairs out of the equation. If I lose men because of some relationship complication, you'll be answering to me."

Tessa's eyes narrowed at the insult, that had been a little below the belt. "Excuse me," she said curtly, "but I've been here for a long time, and I haven't let them down yet. Nor do I _plan_ to."

To the mechanic's surprise, Mearing gave a tiny, quirked _hint_ of a smirk to the corner of her mouth, and she nodded slightly with a firm gaze. "I'm glad to hear that too. I'll remember you said that, Miss Jackson."

Before she could respond to the older woman, Mearing had taken her leave and escorted Lennox out with her, followed by her assistant and the soldiers that Lennox had entered with.

Had there been an undertone of respect in the Director's voice after Tess had spoken back…? Okay, so maybe she _was_ another federal agent in a suit, but Tessa had the feeling that there was a lot more to Charlotte Mearing's character than the woman was truly letting on. As a result, Tess decided to reserve her judgement until she could really understand the older woman, maybe she wouldn't prove to be as bad as Galloway after all…

But only time would tell.

-0-0-0-0-0-

The escort squad of Autobots did not arrive with the new troops until the early hours of the morning, but Tess, Optimus and Ratchet had waited up for them; Ironhide and Bumblebee had chosen to get some rest and regroup with the new soldiers when they came back online.

Tess and Optimus had been retiring in their loft when the arrivals had been announced, relaxing in one another's company after the less than amicable visit from Mearing. Optimus had been furious at the outright disrespect of Mearing towards his mate, but Tess had managed to talk him down from it; trying to reserve her judgements about the woman given that she didn't know her all that well yet.

Looking back, she sort of wished that she'd done the same in regard to Galloway, because he'd have probably not taken such an intense dislike to her if she'd been a little more reserved. In a way, it demonstrated the difference in her character after her years with the Autobots; she was growing just as they were.

Perched on Prime's shoulder safely, she sat there as they made their way to the area of the base where the new arrivals had just come in. Admittedly, she was glad that Optimus had her so close, because he was not about to allow any accidental harm to befall her should any of these new bots mistake her for a 'bug' again.

Upon arriving, she noticed that the new bots were no longer in their generic alt modes of military vehicles; they were unique and differentiating. There was a classy looking navy blue Mercedes Benz W212, a _very_ classy, sleek red Ferarri 458 Italia, and a trio of different coloured NASCAR vehicles; a blue one numbered with #48, a red #42 and a green #88. There also seemed to be a small laptop perched on the hood of the Benz that she could not be sure whether it was a bot, or just one of the soldier's computers…If it was on top of one of the new robots' alt modes, then is _had_ to be Cybertronian. But the vehicle that most interested her was one that was familiar, Sideswipe was off to the side…and his alt mode seemed to have an adjustment.

"Sides!" Tess called from Prime's shoulder, "You're _topless_!"

The girl broke out into a laugh as he transformed from Corvette, into the bot she knew so well. He appeared to shift on his wheels a little, and she noticed that he wasn't looking her in the eye. If she didn't know any better, she'd have said he was…_embarrassed_ about something. Luckily for her, the Twins noticed this as well, and saw fit to inform her of the story behind it.

"Yo, Sides was gettin' all jealous! Fancy-bot there was showin' off with them new rims!" Skids chirped amusedly, humour sounding evident in his voice as he did so, nudging Mudflap to finish the story.

"Yeah! He wos all getting' showed up an' all. Went 'n found them new convertible models ta upgrade!"

Tessa looked at the twins, then over to Sideswipe, and then she started to laugh.

"Oh, Sides! You're gorgeous, really! You didn't need to go and do an upgrade, you're fantastic as you are!" she shook her head and pressed a hand to her temple as she started to giggle, "I wouldn't spend so much time and loving care buffing out your frame if you weren't worth it!"

She noticed Sideswipe give a vacant shrug, evidently trying to appear nonchalant in being caught out on his vanity, "Felt like it was time for an upgrade, this model is faster. It's all about speed, babe."

Tess gave another laugh at his excuse, and then pointed to the still-alt-mode new bots. "Speaking of speed, what's the deal with the NASCAR models…?"

"Their choice, not ours..." Sides explained, "There was an outdoor 'Motorheads' show in the city centre, whole bunch of those race car, performing drivers humans like to watch on T.V were there; the Wreckers decided to use those modes."

"…Wreckers?" Tess asked, "What are Wreckers?"

"_We're_ Wreckers, ya nanny little _bug_!" came a harsh Scottish accent, one of the ones she recognised from the NASA base.

As if on cue, the loud sound of multiple whirring gears resounded through the base as the entire congregation of Autobots began to transform into their recognisable bipedal modes. Tess nearly -_nearly_- laughed as she realized that the Mercedes Benz turned into a bot that _greatly_ resembled Einstein; but she managed to refrain from doing so. She also noticed that the small 'laptop' that had been on the hood had also seemingly transformed as well. It looked very much like the 'Einstein' Autobot, but tiny in comparison; and much scruffier looking.

"Well! What 'ave we got here?" came a heavily British accent, from the red NASCAR bot, "Prime, ya've got a little glitch-bot on your shoulder."

Optimus turned his face to Tess with a reassuring look, and then turned back to his new soldiers.

"Autobots, your time here has been only brief, but I trust that you have taken in the information this world has to offer. Online interweb technology is plentiful and easily accessed, and I have no doubts that you have had some time to accustom yourself with the humans we call our allies. The soldiers you were accompanied by fight for our cause, to bring peace to their world. Decepticons have made their mark on this planet, and we will stop them. Megatron is here, and he is in hiding; biding his time for whatever purpose he plans. We will stop him."

"All due respect, Prime," came the elderly, slightly Scottish/Irish sounding voice of the Einstein bot, "We understand the allies, but are they all going ta be sitting on us like that?" he gestured politely at Tessa perched on Prime's shoulder, and the little mechanic found herself deciding that she liked this one.

He was not trying to be aggressive or cruel, simply curious; and she had the feeling that he was more of a tactical scientist than a field soldier.

"This, Que, is Teresa Jackson; one of the human 'medics' for our kind who has been studying under Ratchet to learn our functions. She…is also my Sparkmate."

A loud, vocal uproar erupted amongst the new bots, not angry or concerned, but confused; and perhaps a little curious. They were all talking at once, every single one of them astounded by the fact that stoic, regal Optimus Prime had at long last chosen a Sparkmate; and it was _alien_.

"Bu' Prime!" came the Scottish accent from the green NASCAR Wrecker, "Ain't humans _organic_? Ya cannae Sparkbond 'em if they don' _spark_."

"Actually," Ratchet cut in, "That is a disproven theory. We'd thought the same thing…until they _managed_ it. Humans have a theoretical Spark equivalent called a 'soul' that Spark matter can connect with. It's dangerous, but possible. Tess is genuinely a Sparkbound Prime."

"Lady Prime!" Que exclaimed, suddenly dipping his head a little, "I apologize, didn't have an inkling!"

"No, no!" Tess exclaimed, trying to project her voice so that they could hear, "Don't, it's okay; really! I'm just glad you guys made it here safely…Optimus has been short on soldiers for a long time…It's nice to have…reinforcements?"

She heard the Ferrari give a scoff, his heavy Italian accent easily audible in the sound, even before he spoke, "An organic, Prime? Primus, I will not answer to one of those."

"You have little say in the matter, Dino." Optimus said suddenly, and Tess was surprised by the defensiveness in his tone; clearly he was fed up with people disrespecting or underestimating his Sparkmate today, and she felt a little bad that one of his soldiers was receiving the brunt of it, so in response she gently pressed a hand to the gear of Prime's finial and traced the Cybertronian.

"Chief, it's okay. I get where he's coming from. It's been a long day for everyone…I think we all just need time." She said gently, patting the metal reassuringly as he nodded in response, addressing Dino again.

"Regardless of personal opinion of organic creatures, Dino, she is my Sparkmate and she has second command authority. But she chooses not to act upon this; you are my soldiers, and she will not issue orders unless I ask it of her. You will grow to know her, Dino, as she will to know all of you."

"Hmm, looks gooood!" came a gravelly, somewhat _playful_ voice, to which she realized that it was coming from the tiny little minibot that was rested in Que's hand.

"Brains!" Sideswipe barked in retaliation.

However Tessa was laughing at the action, and chose instead to make Sideswipe simply brush it off, making allowances saying that it was late and they all just needed rest. Decisively, Prime instructed Ratchet and the twins to show the new Autobots their hangar where they would be able to recharge, rest and recuperate; having seen to it that there was plenty of space for each of them to not interfere with one another. As the new bots offered their respects and gratitude to Prime, he offered them all a saluting nod of his head and addressed them once more, his voice reflecting the exhaustion that he was feeling now that his systems were finally calling to be gived the chance to power down. He looked forward to retiring to the loft with Tess.

"Autobots…" he said regally, "welcome home."

**THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE TIME SKIPPED AND WILL BE STARTING ON THE DARK OF THE MOON TIMELINE.**

**AND THE AUTHOR'S NOTE WILL BE IMPORTANT, SO READ IT!**

**All my love to you, loyal readers/reviewers! :D**


	107. On To The Next One

**I….I have NO excuse.  
>I am appalled at myself with how bad this Writer's Block has been T.T and I am just so sorry…I'm trying guys, I really, truly am :C<strong>

**ANYHOW!**

_**IMPORTANT NOTICE!**_

**THIS IS NOW CORRESPONDING TO THE DARK OF THE MOON TIMELINE, WHICH MEANS THAT IT HAS NOW BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE THE EVENTS OF ROTF!**

**I HAVE TRIED TO COME UP WITH A LEGITIMATE REASON AS TO WHY JOLT, ARCEE, SKIDS AND MUDFLAP WERE NOT IN DOTM.**

**I AM AWARE THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF EXPLANATION IN THE COMICS, BUT I HAVE NOT READ THEM; SO THIS IS MY OWN INTERPRETATION!**

**Hopefully, my Writer's Block will not make this difficult for much longer, because I also need to start writing a new chapter update for my other story Primitive Violation. Anyhow, enjoy this latest chapter.**

**With all my apologies in the world!**

It had taken Tess a long time to get used to her new role at N.E.S.T's new facilities.

She was still primarily just a mechanic, but given her personal experience under Ratchet's study and care, and her deep involvement with the Autobots in general, Lennox had seen fit to give her authority as management over the entire department of mechanics, with Ratchet as her co-operative.

Although Ratchet was technically _her_ superior in Cybertronian know-how, Lennox had found that the human soldiers preferred to go to her; not because they disliked Ratchet, but because a fellow human was more familiar, something that were programmed to trust.

Tess did not like the idea of being any of the military mechanics' _boss_, but N.E.S.T's new base had the need for a much bigger mechanical garage department, and therefore needed more staff to operate it. Seeing as Tess had the most experience working with both Cybertronian and unique engine fusion-function, they gave her the title.

However she was happy to be able to be a part of a job that could ensure the safety and survival of the N.E.S.T soldiers, and her Autobots.

"Tessa?" came a call from across the garage, and Tess raised her head from the engine she was repairing to see one of the younger mechanics, only a very new soldier by the name of Matthew Johns, who had been shipped to N.E.S.T shortly after graduating to Special Forces.

"Hey Matt," she said with a friendly smile, wiping the perspiration from her forehead with the back of her hand, "what's up?"

The young soldier seemed to shuffle on his feet a little and Tess felt herself finding him every bit the awkward young kid, he was no older than his very early twenties and was quite childish for his age; seeming at times a lot more like a teenage boy than a soldier. Still, he was a nice enough kid.

Tess found herself once again _weirded out_ by the fact that she was almost 30. Technically, her body had not really aged in any way because of the preservation that the bond with Optimus had created; but she still thought of herself as getting older; it felt too strange to be the same age she was a few years ago, and she couldn't say she liked the idea anyhow.

"Lennox asked to see you; he said that they've got a new mission and that Optimus had requested you be informed."

Tess felt her heart skip the way it usually did when she heard about new missions, she always worried for the safety of the soldiers, both human and Cybertronian.

"Okay, thanks Matt. Can you go tell Lennox I'll just be a minute? I just need to finish up here."  
>"Sure, Tess." He smiled, saluting her formally and leaving the room to go find the Colonel.<p>

Wiping her forehead again, Tess surveyed her work on the vehicle she was repairing, and found herself making the usual comparisons to Cybertronian technology, so much more advanced; even space travel was not difficult for them to achieve.

As the thought crossed her mind, she was taken back to the memory of the group of Autobots that had been sent into space only a few months ago in order for a search (_and hopefully __rescue_) mission by order of Optimus.

With the new Autobot ship and its technology available to them, its enhanced radar system had managed to pick up distress signals of a Cybertronian nature; and Optimus had reacted immediately to find a way to retrieve them.

Jolt, Skids, Mudflap and Arcee had been sent as the deployment team.

Arcee was heading the squad, Jolt was the medic and the Twins were being sent as the cover-firers. Their mission was to bring back as many surviving Autobots from the location as possible; but they were cautioned to be careful seeing as it was quite possible for it to be a Decepticon trap. However with Arcee at the head of the mission, the femme's clear logic and calm battle approach would serve the team well.

Sideswipe had demanded that he go, and it had been the first time that Tess had seen him truly reveal his emotions about the brother she knew he had lost. Even now, after all those months; she could still remember the scene with perfect clarity…

_Optimus stood before his chosen soldiers, who stoically awaited their orders. "Arcee, as leader in this mission, the four of you are to try and recover as many-"_

"_-Wait, four?" Sideswipe interrupted, "Prime! Send me with them!"_

_Prime turned to the smaller bot, his optics dim and his expression firm. Tess sat quietly at one of the computer chairs on the catwalk, not wanting to butt in on the situation; she was their purely as a formality in being Prime's Lady._

"_You are of more value hear, Sideswipe." Optimus said calmly, before turning and attempting to continue his address to the retrieval/rescue team. However it appeared that Sideswipe wouldn't have a bar of it. He rolled forward, deliberately getting in front of Optimus with his arms moving as he spoke; a rather human gesture that he'd started picking up off some of the soldiers in recent years._

"_But Optimus! I need to go, I'm the fastest fighter there is; they'll need all the back-up they can get. What if it's Cons?!"_

_Tess noticed that Optimus' shoulders seemed to slacken as he took a few seconds to pull his words together, and she noticed that he cycled a rather long intake before responding, and she knew immediately that it was not what the Corvette wanted to hear…_

"_You will remain here, Sideswipe."_

"_WHAT IF IT'S SUNNY?!" Sideswipe bellowed, his fists clenched as he rolled back and forth agitatedly on his wheels, optics burning a hole into Prime's, "WHAT IF HE'S WITH THEM, I HAVE TO __FIND__ HIM!"_

_Optimus shook his head with a heavy exhale, shuttering his optics briefly before returning the angry soldier's gaze, "And this reaction, Sideswipe, is precisely why you will not be going on the mission…" his words were calm, gentle and almost apologetic; like a parent stopping a child from doing something harmful, "Your emotions cause you to ignore judgement, and you will put your team in danger. You are blinded by this, Sideswipe; and it will be safer for everyone involved for you to remain here."_

"_But __Prime__–!"_

"_-We'll do what we can, Sides." Arcee said suddenly, placing a hand on the silver bot's shoulder, her optics soft and full of sympathy, "I know how it feels…I __know__, and if there is anything I can do to bring your Twin back to you, I'll do it. We'll fight for him, Sideswipe; I promise."_

"_Yeah! We's gonna find 'im and bring him back, yo!" Skids said enthusiastically, unnecessarily punching his own Twin in the arm simply for the fact that he could. Jolt, who was standing quietly on the other side of the two hyperactive bots, turned to the silver Corvette and gave a confirming nod._

"_You have our word, we'll do whatever we can. If he's there, we'll bring him home; online or off."_

_Tess could see his struggle as he looked at them all, his expression one of pain and frustration, and it hurt her to see him feeling that way. Quietly, she got out of her chair and made her way to the railing to lean over it and talk to him.  
>"Sides," she said gently, offering him a sympathetic expression, "It'll be okay."<em>

_He turned and looked at Arcee, then to Prime before his shoulders slumped and he bore a look of defeat as he cycled and intake and finally spoke calmly, his voice somewhat distant and bothered._

"…_I hope so…"_

As Tess left her workshop to go find Lennox, she found herself feeling sorry for Sideswipe, she could only imagine how hard it would be if she lost on of her own brothers, or even Optimus for that matter; considering that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were a bound set of twins. The rescue team had taken the Xanthium's two back-up shuttles, so as to have enough return space should they find any survivors in their destined location.

At the launch-off, the Wreckers had decided that they didn't like the idea of leaving their ship in the 'scraplet' hands of the human military, so they had concluded to stay and maintain the ship themselves. To everybody's surprise, Epps had also announced his wish to remain on the NASA base, informing them that the idea of doing something that didn't involve risking his life, sounded like a dream job. His children were growing up, and he missed his wife; so it was easily an understandable decision; although Lennox had openly admitted that he would miss having his friend watching his back, he agreed that it was a reasonable choice.

Tess had a feeling that after this whole war fiasco was done with, Lennox would probably retire to be with his own family too.

"Will?" Tess called, "Matt said you were looking for me? Hey, Chief."

She turned her face skyward and offered Optimus a loving smile before she upped the stairs to the rail catwalk, where Lennox was overlooking some of the computer technicians, a file in his hand.

"Yeah, I'm glad you came; I'm heading another mission." Lennox replied calmly, glancing at the papers in the file every so often, obviously reading up on the intel for said mission. In response, Tess glanced quickly at Optimus before she returned her gaze to the Colonel and scratched the back of her neck.

"Okay, cool. Will you guys need an on-site mechanic this time?" she asked expectantly.

It was no longer uncommon for Tess to be taken along on some of the lower-risk missions with the N.E.S.T operatives, given that she now had basic firearms training, and was the best non-Cybertronian mechanic they had besides Mikaela, who worked a lot of the time on patrol missions with troops scouring for leads. The two girls had made a valuable team to N.E.S.T, given their knowledge and genuine ability to get along with one another. It was often that the two would be found in the workshop in the middle of the night, planning new ideas and coming up with fresh concepts to help improve mechanical productiveness.

Lennox shook his head and went to speak, but Optimus took care of it for him instead.

"No, Tess. This time we are following a lead; we have word that alien readings have been discovered in a facility called Chernobyl."

Tessa vaguely remembered reading something about that in high-school, a class assignment they'd had to do in History. "Wait…wasn't that the place in Russia that had a nuclear explosion…? From a reactor or something?"

"The Ukraine," Lennox corrected, "but yes; that's the story. We had a tip-off informing us that there might be something going on there that could be of interest to N.E.S.T, they were picking up intense radiation levels, even now so many years after it all happened. We're taking a team to investigate; it'll be safer for you to stay here. Especially if there _are_ Decepticons there, we can't afford any of them getting word of you to Megatron."

"We just wanted you to know." Optimus said gently, placing his hands to the railing and leaning towards her, effectively boxing her in, "I did not wish to leave without you knowing of our whereabouts."

With a calm, accepting smile, Tess placed a hand on the plating of his face and traced her fingertips along the metal; she noticed the way his optics shuttered closed at the feeling. "Aw Chief, you're just too whipped. Be careful out there, and look after them."

A decompressed hiss escaped his joints as he cycled a fresh intake, before pulling back from her, "You have my word, Tess. I will always return to you."

With a laugh, she shook her head and pointed at him playfully, "Yeah, you'd better. Now go give those Cons hell."

The Prime gave a firm nod and turned to exit the space, ready to brief his soldiers on the criteria of their mission. Lennox put a hand on Tessa's shoulder, causing her to turn and look at him so that he could give her one last reassurance.

"We should only be gone a few days, just for transport and back; a week at the most if we run into any serious trouble, you know?" he explained, making his way to the stairs as Tess followed him, "We're taking Ratchet with us as medical, just in case it turns out dangerous…I'm sorry we can't take you, but Optimus would snap my neck if I let you get in harm's way."

Tess scoffed that the notion of Optimus even laying a _finger_ on Lennox, he would no sooner turn Con than deliberately hurt a human. She gave a shrug and descended the stairs with him, tucking her hands comfortably in her pockets as she followed him.

"No, no, I get it; that's okay. Even with my own weapon, I'm still a massive liability in a battlefield…I mean, _hello_, zero experience here!" she laughed good-naturedly and shook her head at herself, "Besides, I'll have plenty here to keep me occupied; Graham is running the new guys through induction tomorrow morning, and Mikaela and I are working on some parts. Kind of hoping to increase fuel efficiency in some of the Hummers, a few of them are going through gas faster than others."

"Sounds like you've got your schedule without us pretty sorted then." Lennox teased genuinely, "Suppose you have to keep busy."  
>"Yeah, well…make sure you bring my man back to me. That's an awful big apartment that I just can't fill by myself." Tess joked in reply. She gestured in the general direction of her and Optimus' loft with her thumb and a shrug, and Lennox turned to her as they walked.<p>

"So, how _are_ you two going? Don't get me wrong, but I can't help be curious about how that kind of relationship works. I mean…it just seems _right_ with the two of you, but obviously it isn't something you'd see every day."

Tess choked and turned a little red, her fingers twisting in the pockets of her pants as she looked at the floor, "Are you…seriously trying to ask me about my…my sex life?"

She noticed her friend give a snorting laugh before he scratched at the back of his neck, "Well, not _specifically_ that, no…but I'll admit that the curiosity is there, I guess you expect that though."

The little mechanic gave a horrified sound and clasped both her hands over her face in embarrassment, but she had to confess that it was a perfectly understandable query; how many friends would someone have that were romantically involved with an alien robot? There were genuine, reasonable curiosities.

That didn't make it any less _mortifying_ to talk about, however…

"Uh…well…what is it you wanted to know? I'm not going to go into any details with you, just so you know."

"No, no, no! God, I don't need that much information Tess!" Will laughed embarrassedly, "Just general stuff, like…uh…how exactly would that even _work_ between you two?"

Deciding to make fun of him a little, Tess took on a motherly, almost patronizingly sweet tone, "Well, William…when two people love each other very much…"

"Oh, _ha ha_." He scoffed, "You _know_ what I mean."

Grinning at her triumph, she tried to hide her flamingly embarrassed cheeks with the smile, "If you're trying to guess whether we use the Holoform or not, the answer is both yes and no."

"What do you mean yes and no?"

She shrugged, "Well…we _have_ used the Holoform, but not for a really long time; about 7 or 8 months actually. I don't know I just…sometimes it just feels false; I love him as he is, you know?"

Lennox was quiet for a second, and when he spoke Tess realized that he was probably getting some bad mental images right now, "So…you mean…_real_ Optimus…?! That- is that even _possible_?"

"Oh! Geez not like that! No, no, no!" she stopped and pressed her hands to her temples, feeling her cheeks near burning in humiliation at the fact that she was even _having_ this conversation. Keeping her voice low, she looked around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them, "Look, it…it's…to do with the whole 'Spark' thing, that's how…but that is _all_ I am saying, so don't ask!"

Lennox actually laughed at her response, genuinely amused by her mortification; Tess was always so much fun to stir up, and this time was no exception, "What so that's all you'll tell me?" he teased mockingly. In response, the woman threw up her arms and gave a dramatic, mocking huff.

"God, you're terrible! Stop it! Go to Russia already, you pest!" she squealed.

"Ukraine." He corrected.

She shot him a teasing, only half-serious glare before she jovially thumped him in the chest and pushed him towards the door, "Whatever, just go away. The sooner you leave the sooner you guys come home."

With a chuckle, he reached over and ruffled her hair playfully before backing to the exit to organize the small team he was going to be taking with him to Chernobyl. "Don't miss us too much."

"You kidding?" Tess teased, "…I won't know what to do with all that peace and quiet."


	108. Wake Up

**So…everybody remembers when I told you all my sister ran away from home?**

**Well, she's come back.**

**Not FOREVER… she plans on going back to Victoria, but she's going to be getting a job here, saving some money and doing things the RIGHT way…**

**The way she should have done it in the **_**first**_** place.**

**That's why I haven't really been writing a lot, because I've been making the most of my time with her.  
>Anyhow my lovely minions, I apologise for the wait and I hope y'all enjoy the chapter :)<strong>

The first night that Lennox and his team were gone, Tess did genuinely enjoy the chance to have a little time to herself.

With Ratchet gone, she and Mikaela were in charge of the garage and Cybertronian medical department; which wasn't a terribly demanding job until Bumblebee and Dino had gotten a little too…_enthusiastic_ in a sparring match, resulting in the yellow Camaro having a large gash put in his forearm from the Ferrari's blades.

She and Mikaela had spent the better part of an afternoon soldering the Scout's metal back together and rewiring circuits and Energon lines. Tess had insisted Dino be checked out as well, but the red bot had only allowed it after proceeding to mouth off at Tessa for a good full minute or two about making sure her 'sticky, scraplet hands' didn't do any damage to his delicate Cybertronian mechanics.

Needless to say, Tess didn't really like Dino all that much; he didn't have much time for humans.

At first, she'd made excuses for him; hoping that it was simply the fact that he needed to become used to her people. But over the last few years it had become apparent that that wasn't the case, he simply thought less of them than of Cybertronians.

In the beginning, she'd tried incredibly hard to make allowances for him and try to show him the good in humans that the other bots saw, but he wouldn't have a bar of it. Instead, she'd now resorted to simply being short, professional and abrupt with him.  
>If Dino didn't have time to be nice to her, then <em>she<em> wouldn't be nice to _him_.

After having to deal with the rude Ferrari, and patching up Bumblebee for most of the day and well into the evening, Tess was finally in her loft with a bag of Skittles and a can of soda, sitting on her sofa. With a sigh, she rested her head back against the couch and zoned out for a few minutes, ignoring the noise from the television.

Although she did enjoy the chance to get a little space between herself and Optimus every now and again, she always missed him the most when her day was done and she was alone.

Their loft was far too spacious without him, it felt bare without the sound of hydraulics and hissing joints as he moved, whether he was working at his desk with datapads, or doing self-repairs at the berth to upgrade his systems.

She knew his routines now, having shared a living space with him.

Tess knew that he liked to consume his Energon chilled, usually before he went into recharge so that he could make the most of the energy boost by giving it time to absorb into his system. She knew that he enjoyed listening to music while he filled in details and information on missions, usually something classical would be playing; but she'd heard some old school Stan Bush and James Dean playing when he thought she wasn't listening.

He also had a slightly _proud_ side that he only showed to Tess, and this came out when she would put on documentaries about space, and the galaxy. He would make somewhat playfully snide comments and criticisms while the narrator spoke. He would make corrections and insights on what humans thought they knew about space, and to Tessa's amusement she found that he seemed quite proud of his knowledge. She often teased him when he did so, calling him a 'bossy, alien know-it-all' with a smile and a laugh.

Then there were the not-so-endearing traits and habits of his…

Like his sleeping patterns. Tess had learned that Optimus deliberately put up firewalls in his systems before going in to stasis, to stop himself from being able to move. She had become curious as to why he never moved when he slept, and he had informed her that it was an intentional choice.

Because of all the war, and the centuries of relying on very _dangerous_ battle instincts, Optimus was burdened with stasis-fluxes, the Cybertronian equivalent of nightmares. They were rare for his kind, but were often seen among long-serving soldiers of war. He used the internal stasis firewalls as a physical shut-down so that his mind was aware and functioning, but his body would not move until he re-engaged the motion sensors and deactivated the firewall.

He did this because the stasis-fluxes made him thrash during his recharges.

Optimus had reassured Tess that the firewalls allowed him to be able to have her sleep beside him on the berth without the risk of hurting her by striking or crushing her by accident while he was in stasis; but that wasn't what worried her.

What concerned the little mechanic, was the fact that he _suffered_ at night. She knew how horrible nightmares could be, particularly if they were of bad memories. She remembered sitting up one night after Prime had long gone to bed, and she'd been surprised to hear short whines and hisses from his joints as they strained to move but were barred because of the firewall. She began to wonder which of the memories he was reliving. Was he watching a comrade die before his eyes, was he fighting Megatron in a neck-and-neck battle? Was he watching Cybertron's destruction right before his very eyes, watching his brothers in arms fight around him as they tore themselves and their world apart?

That night, Tess had cried for him and his losses, all the hardships that she had seen through his eyes. She hated to think that he still suffered them. Of course, the next time that they'd interfaced using the bond and Prime's Spark, he'd felt that concern, and asked her about where it stemmed from. She'd reluctantly told him about what she'd witnessed, and he'd done everything he could to put her fears to rest.

It was a burden his soldiers would never know he had.

Tessa was jostled from her thoughts as her phone rang on her kitchen counter where she was charging it. Hauling herself up off the sofa, Tess turned down the television and pulled her cell off the power cord, looking at the caller ID with a knowing smile.  
><em>Unkown Caller<em>.  
>She got enough of those to know…that it was probably Optimus.<p>

Pressing the 'answer' button on her cellphone, she lifted it to her ear and sat back down on the couch with a polite "Hello?" just in case it _wasn't_ Prime. But, as she'd suspected, she heard his voice roll liquidly through the speakers.  
>"Tess." He said gently, sounding almost relieved to hear her voice, she knew that this was more than likely the call he would give her before starting the mission. Optimus had a habit of phoning her on the way to their destination on operations, if for no other reason than to say that he loved her. Sort of a 'treat every day like the last' kind of deal, after all in the middle of a war they could never be sure who would make it home and who wouldn't.<p>

"Hey, Chief." Tess replied softly, running a hand through her hair as she cuddled into the cushions of her sofa, "Miss me already, huh?"

"With every second, Tessa." Optimus responded, not missing a beat. She found herself smiling at the words, finding them far too cheesy to not poke fun of.  
>"You're just a sap, baby…" she teased before laughing quietly, "I miss you too. Are you on the way to Chernobyl?"<p>

There was a moment of quiet on the other end of the line before she heard what sounded like an exhaling sigh from Optimus. "We are on route now, we will be arriving within the hour and then we begin the operation. Lennox and several of the soldiers are commuting within Ratchet and myself."

Suddenly, she felt a little self-conscious and thought back to what their conversation had consisted of so far. "Uh…can they hear me?"

"No." he reassured her tenderly, his voice clearly using the tone that he only ever used for her when they were alone, "I am connected to your cell phone through my Com-Link, they can hear nothing; they are currently talking among themselves." His tone became conversational, and Tess realized that he was probably just seeking some form of normalcy before facing his mission. "You have been well?"

She gave a heavy sigh and shifted so that she was lying down on the couch with the phone to her ear. "Yeah, things are going fine here… Bumblebee and Dino got into a bit of a scuffle during training and they took it a little far…but they're okay now. Bee's getting fitted with his new stealth gear first thing in the morning, 'Kaela and I unboxed all the parts before lunch today. How are you feeling…? About the mission?"

"All things are going according to regiment so far, we will be arriving soon and then we can survey the situation at the facility."

She knew that tone.

That professional tone of his 'commander' persona, the front that he put on for his soldiers and subordinates. It was the one that made him appear every bit the calm, cool-headed leader that they needed him to be. But Tess was the one person that knew him inside and out, better than any other in the world and she could hear it in his voice.

"But you're worried." She whispered gently.

"I will always worry, when the safety of my soldiers is a factor." He said gently, somewhat slowly.

She knew just from the sound that he was calling her not simply for something to consume his time on the journey to their destination, but for _comfort_. He needed something that he would never outright ask anyone else for, reassurance and supportive comfort. Optimus was not the immovable object that everyone painted him as, he let his walls down at night just like everybody else, and she was always there to see it.

Having no other way to comfort him than to _distract_ him, Tess felt her cheeks burn a little as she lowered her voice to a gentle hum. "Well, maybe once you and your soldiers are back home _safe and well_," she put an emphasis on the words safe and well as a way to reassure him that everything would work out fine, "then perhaps I can…give you something to welcome you home…?"

The line was silent for a moment, as Optimus processed the what she was saying to him, then she heard a quiet, slightly confused tone came across his end of the conversation. "Tessa, are you…trying to…imply an _innuendo_ to me…?"

She cleared her throat awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ignore the embarrassed way her skin prickled along her arms. "Maybe…It's empty here without you, I could use a little time with the Spark of a Prime to keep me company. Maybe when you get home you can take a little time away from debrief…and help me out with that?"

She could hear the static on the other end of the line as Optimus gave a half amused, half embarrassed chuckle, before he finally answered her in a surprisingly liquid, dark voice.

"I think I would prefer the Holoform next time. I have not touched you in human form for months." He rumbled lowly, his voice sounding far more gravelly than usual probably for her benefit. Flirting over the phone was not something they did often at all, mostly because Tess found it incredibly awkward and _cheesily_ cliché. But at times like this, where she knew he was willingly looking for something to take his mind off the situation at hand, it was her best solution for his problems.

It didn't help that his metallic, liquid baritone voice made him _perfect_ at it.

He'd need only say anything remotely intimate with that dark, delicious tone to fluster her and make her actually wish that he was here with her. It was true that they had not used the human Holoform for many months, mostly because Tess never felt that they needed to; she was perfectly content and satisfied with him as he was.

Sparkbonding was a million times more exhilarating than anything else she'd ever experienced with any lover, _ever_…but it seemed that Optimus wished to do things the human way for her at least every now and again, because any use of the Holoform was at his insistence and not her own. Even the bipedal Holoform was very rarely made use of, and Optimus had grown used to not needing them to please her. In fact, the newer Autobots had yet to even _see_ either of his Holoforms at all, and Tess felt that some of them (_particularly Dino_) would probably find it insulting that their proud race sought to 'blend' with humankind.  
>So either way, if a Holoform ever <em>was<em> used, it was done so only in the privacy of their loft…and Tess did not mind that.

"We don't need the Holoform, Chief." Tess murmured coolly, "I prefer you without it."

"Perhaps so, but I have missed holding you. When I return…" his voice lowered to a rumble, "…I will show you."

She gave a mocking laugh, running her fingers through her hair as she put on an attempt at a seductive tone, probably failing miserably but Optimus did not say anything against it. "Hmm…and if I refuse to let you use it on me…What will you do then?" she was surprised by the way his tone morphed into a seductive growl that made gooseflesh rise on the back of her neck.

"…_Convince_ you…"

Her eyes widened in surprise at the darkness in his voice, but she knew this mood; he was playing with her and she would be lying if she said he wasn't damn good at it. "Is that so…?" she teased, "Maybe I should make you prove it, tough guy. Think you can take me?"

A heavy, rumbling chuckle rolled through the speaker as he comprehended her challenge, determined to meet her baiting, "It would certainly give me the greatest pleasure to try, Tess…" he growled.

Playfully, Tessa giggled and gave a mockingly offended sound as though he had insulted her, "Oh, you tease…"  
>There was a long moment of silence on the other end of the line before Tess swore that she heard Optimus give a heavy, almost growling sigh. The sound reverberated up her spine, and made her admittedly a little more hot and bothered than she would ever admit to.<p>

"I believe it would be best…for us to continue this conversation when I do not require a clear head for a possibly dangerous situation, Tess. As much as I wish I could return home to you and devote my attentions to please you…I am needed to remain focused." She could hear the regretful tone in his voice, knowing for a fact that he was clearly getting a little hot under the collar at the surprisingly miniscule prompting from her teasing.

It was one of the things that she loved about him, he was still so easy to rile up in terms of romantic baiting; because he had been without it for so long that she still had, and always _would_ have, a slight advantage over him that way.

Lowering her voice to a teasing giggle, she gave a playful, disappointed sound. "Aww Chief… Well…I suppose it's better that way. After all, with a voice like yours, Optimus Prime…you could make someone pregnant just by talking..._lewdly_ to them… Good thing we don't really have to worry about anything like that, hey Chief?"

She gave a laugh, expecting some form of reply from him, but once her humoured sounds died down, she realized that Optimus hadn't said a word in response. Her laughter stopped and she was quiet for a moment, unsure about whether the connection had cut out, or he was simply not saying anything…he was so quiet…  
>"…Chief…?" she murmured, "Are you still there…?"<p>

"…"

"Optimus?"

"I am still here…"

Tess was suddenly bothered by the tone in his voice, it sounded far too contemplative…far too distant for her liking. Was it something that she had said; had she gone too far with something? "Are you okay?"

There was another moment of quiet on his end of the connection before he finally drew in a rumbling breath and answered her. "I wish that were possible…"

Tess didn't quite understand what he meant by those words, trying to think back on their conversation to what he could possibly be referring to, but nothing came to mind off the top of her head. What she needed was clarification, because right now she was a little confused. "You wish what was possible?"

Optimus gave what sounded like an unhappy rumble as a hiss rose from his end of the line. "You mentioned bearing children…And I…Tess I regret it not being possible with you…"

_Oh, so that's what's on his mind_…

She'd always suspected his disappointments towards the two of them not being able to bear children. With such vast differences and sizes in their bodies, infertility was inevitably an obvious factor; they would never conceive children, they were not compatible. But they had both seemingly just made a quiet understanding of the fact, Tess had never once heard him actually bring up the situation in so many words, it was usually just something that they seemed to understand…something that had never needed elaboration because they both knew the reasons for the situation.

To hear Optimus so blatantly coming out with his regrets about not being able to give her children, made her heart ache for him; she'd never really considered children in the first place, but knowing that it hurt him so gave her cause for concern. Mostly because what if, one day in the future of their lengthy, intertwined life-spans, they _wanted_ children…?

"Chief," she said gently, "…I don't regret not being able to have children with you. Because if I was with someone I _could_ have kids with…Optimus, then they wouldn't be _you_. I tell you every day, I love you as you are…along with everything that comes with that, differences in physical compatibility included."

"Tess…there is so much that you should have, and I would give you anything. But this is something I cannot do for you…do you not wish for the chance to have been a mother to offspring of your own?"

He waited patiently as he heard his mate intake a deep breath before releasing it in a heavy exhale, a soft, understanding smile evident in her voice. Oh how he loved this femme, he would do anything that she asked of him; she'd only ever need say so.

"Look, Optimus…" she said warmly, "I can't say I've ever really even _thought_ about having kids…I mean, Lucy and Thomas are plenty enough for me. You know that, you shouldn't worry on it so much."

The Autobot leader contemplated on her words for a moment before resigning himself to the knowledge that he had to accept the way things were, however reluctantly. "I wish that it were not so, you are worthy of bringing others into this world, I merely regret that I cannot help you do this…"

Tess gave a soft laugh and had to conceal a yawn before she responded to him, a comforting tone emanating in her voice, "Well if worse comes to worse, we can always adopt, right Chief? The world has plenty of kids in need of people to take care of them; and we'll have a lot of time to give. But put it aside, Optimus…for now at least."

The affectionate, reassuring tone in her voice comforted him a lot more than he would have thought it could. The fact that she was so self-assured and at ease with their situation was a relief to him, it convinced him that she truly was just happy with things as they were. "You are right… We will always have alternatives should we find the need to seek them out. I will let you rest, Tessa; we are almost at our destination now. I will phone you again once it is over."

"Alright Chief." she said warmly, "Stay safe…I love you."

"And I love you."

As the phone line went dead and Optimus heard Tess hang up, he reflected on their conversation, deciding that perhaps they did not truly have anything to be concerned about. Options were there should they need them, and they did indeed have much time to be together…once this retched war was done with. Who was to say that they couldn't one day decide to use those options? Having Tess as a mother to any form of his offspring, surrogate or otherwise, was certainly a pleasing thought. With his worries somewhat eased, Optimus pushed them aside and made an announcement to the soldiers both in his cabin, and the Autobots over the Com-Link.

Time to get down to business…

**Please bear in mind; this is not to say that Prime and Tess are having children. It's just the two of them exploring and discussing options that are available to them, should they ever decide to try parenting at some point in their extensive lives.  
>It's only a suggestion; not a premonition.<br>Don't go taking it as gospel of "OMG THEY'RE LIKE ADOPTING A BABBYY!" because that's not the case :P**


	109. Dismiss The Cynics

**Dark of The Moon! Dark of The Moon! DARK OF THE FREAKING MOOON!**

**Been waiting to write this Arc for the entire storyline, and now we're finally heeeerrrreee! Strap yourselves in, readers, because it's going to be the best Arc yet!**

**Enjoy, my lovelies.**

**Also, not sure if anybody still uses MSN, but I have an account on there, if anyone wants to add me to have a chat/brainstorm/ask for advice. Just PM me and I will happily give you the email :)**

Tessa's week took a sour turn when she discovered that Bumblebee, Que, Sideswipe and Dino had jointly begun a mission without any permission from the higher authorities. She knew that they would not have done so unless it was beneficial to the concept of peace, but that didn't mean that they weren't going to get their asses chewed by corporate.

And as 'second-in-command' to a Prime, _she_ would be the one having to deal with the authority in Optimus' place while he was in Chernobyl. Lennox had taught her a few tricks and methods to dealing with a 'military ass chewing' as he called it, but that hadn't really prepared Tess for a video conference with the head of the military council in which they wished to know why her soldiers had taken such drastic actions right under her nose. She'd been forced to explain that although her title as "Lady Prime" gave her authority over Optimus' Cybertronian troops, she had taken a solemn promise to never be the one to issue orders to them.

Unfortunately it had been the wrong thing to say…

The military council had ordered her that with her title, the responsibility to keep the soldiers in check and in line would be part of her job. Tess tried to argue respectfully with the reasoning that she was already heading the mechanics department, and that her lack of military knowledge (_all basic firearm training aside_) made her a poor choice for any sort of commander's role. That was what Optimus was good at, and by all technical standards she was still merely a civilian role.

Even Ironhide had tried to go to bat for her, saying that he would accept the responsibilities as the substitute commander in the Prime's stead, but the JCS had stepped in and objected, saying that since she was Optimus Prime's mate then she was his choice for a second, and that she would have to accept it.

Needless to say, Tessa had gone to her loft that night and eaten a whole bag of Skittles before calling Aaron to have a little sibling bonding over her complaints. He and Magnus were currently on mission through Memphis, collecting parts from a site where Cons had been dealt with by a troop of N.E.S.T soldiers. The fight had been against just a few simple rouges, nothing alarming or difficult.

After a brief talk with Aaron, she'd called Riley and spoken to him for a while; taking much delight in talking to her niece and nephew (_who was now almost four_) for a few minutes each. They both asked about 'Uncle Chief' and when they would be allowed to visit. Tess had promised that she would try to see them as soon as time would allow, and the promise seemed to placate them somewhat.

Tess had hung up after agreeing that she would get Optimus to talk to them soon and say hello, seeing as the two children had insisted on wanting to talk to him. Then she had blissfully allowed herself some sleep; only to be woken up in the early morning hours by the announcement of Bumblebee's team arriving back at base.

Word was that Optimus wasn't far behind returning from Chernobyl…

But first…Tess had a few choice words for Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Dino and Que…and she was _not_ happy about it.

"_Damn it_, Bee!" she growled, "What is wrong with you!"

The Camaro transformed quickly, the other three bots following suit as they all turned and took note of her tirade. She had dressed quickly after jumping out of bed, in a pair of baggy, greased work jeans, an oversized black t-shirt and her steel-capped boots which she had not had the chance to lace yet. Her hair was messy, tangled and unbrushed, pulled up into a sloppy, knotty ponytail that stuck out in all directions.

The Scout thought that she actually looked quite…_formidable_ this way. Especially with the annoyed, motherly frown on her face, a crease prominent in her brow the way she furrowed her gaze at the Autobots-in-question.

"**Watch out boys, she's on fire.**" Bumblebee's radio blared, playing a line from Hellboy II before the stereo system skipped and began to play a snippet from the Hunchback of Notre Dame, "**Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission–**"

"–Oh no you don't, little Bee. Don't give me that speech!" Tess cut in, raising her hand to point up at all of them, "I got my _ass_ chewed out today because of your little excursion! Where did you _go_ for two days?! What the heck! Sides!" she turned to the silver Corvette and put her hands on her hips, "What have you guys got to say for yourselves? I mean, it's one thing when you guys sneak out under Optimus' orders; he's here to deal with the repercussions of all that! But…he's out on mission, guys! Council looks to _me_ to deal with keeping you in line while he's not here; you _know_ that they think I'm his second in command!"

Dino scoffed, waving a finger like he was correcting a stupid child, "You are hardly a Prime, _femmina_."

Tess surprised them all with a sharp twist in Dino's direction, pointing dangerously at him with a quick snap of her arm, "_Don't_," she hissed, "mess with me right now, Dino. I already know you don't like me; but you don't get the right to put me in that kind of position. You think I want to be bossing anyone around? Jesus Christ!"

Que was seemingly being quite reserved about the whole situation, probably only having gone along on the mission because Bumblebee and Sideswipe had done so. He gently knelt down beside his leader's Sparkmate and offered and gentle gesture with his hand as he conversed.  
>"We apologise fer causing ya trouble, Lady Prime. Bee said that we were needed, and I'm 'fraid we weren't given time fer warning ya. We meant no harm."<p>

Tess watched Que's genuine, apologetic expression for a moment before pursing her lips and exhaling, her shoulders sagging as her annoyance and anger deflated. She knew that sometimes they did need to leave with very little warning…but Optimus was always there to give the order and accept the consequences, she'd been frazzled with having the situation thrust upon her without any preparation.

"Yeah…okay… just…I dunno, go get something constructive done, I need to get changed."

Bumblebee gave a deep, whining sound and knelt down beside Tess with a saddened expression, gently poking her shoulders with a finger to cause her to turn to him. She knew that look, and the little mechanic felt her anger dissipate even further with that sorry, kicked puppy impersonation. She raised a hand to press it against his finger as she gave a huff.

"Alriiiiight! I forgive you. Now go and-"

"They're back!" called a soldier, one of the ones who handled communications. Obviously he'd received word that Lennox and Optimus' team were arriving back home and Tess felt her heart flutter in relief. However she felt it catch in her throat at the soldier's next words, "Director Mearing is on her way, Miss Jackson. It seems CIA contacted her about the raid in the Middle East. She'll be here shortly after the Chernobyl team gets back."

Tessa's gaze shot to the little yellow Camaro, who was rubbing his arm awkwardly like a child who had just gotten in trouble; she knew that Mearing was now going to have something to say to her as well…like the military council hadn't been bad enough…

"_Bumblebeeeeee_!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

As a minor form of punishment, Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Dino were sent to go with Ironhide and escort Optimus and his team back to base, and that they would be debriefed and dealt with accordingly once all of the Autobots were back on site. Que was permitted to stay due to a current weapon invention that he was working on for the weapons specialist, as a result Tess was left stressing by herself about whether Optimus would get back first, or Mearing would.

The little mechanic was chewing her nails nervously at the concept for a good half an hour before she finally heard the congregation arriving outside the building, entering through the security checkpoint gate outside the 'Health and Human Services' façade the base had. Her heart jump as she spotted that familiar red and blue paint job, with the other Autobots close behind their leader. The paint on the Peterbilt and the Hummer were dinged and a little scratched in places, but all Tess cared about was that they were safe and that they were back home. Granted she was a little less concerned about Dino, Sides and Bumblebee, seeing as they had already come home safe…_and_ gotten her in trouble with her superiors. She was admittedly relieved that her other half was back safe where he belonged.

That and the fact that now _Optimus_ could deal with the Middle East Raid problem…

When they pulled in to the main chamber of the department, she heard the speakers of the base ring clear over the sound of Ratchet's brief siren call. A man's voice echoed through the massive hangar where the choppers and Humvees were tended to.

"_All arriving Autobots, in par, training and debriefing in 15 minutes._"

At the head of the congregation, Optimus kept continuing through the hangar as the speakers continued, this time addressing two of the bots who had partaken in the Middle Eastern raid that had put Tess in the fire that day.

"_Dino, report to Bay 23._" Tess turned her head as she followed Optimus, Hide, Ratchet and Bumblebee to watch Dino turn into the assigned bay; just a _little_ bit irked at the fact that he didn't complain about taking orders from the rest of his superiors, just her. But she didn't really get much of a chance to dwell on this, because the speaker resounding through the room again cut her thoughts, "_Sideswipe, Bay 37 for weapons assessment._"

Lennox came through on a motorcycle, pulling up not far from where the catwalk was located, glancing at Tess with a smile before shutting the bike off, removing his helmet and approaching a set of computers where some of his men were working. She decided to catch him up later, right now she wanted to see Optimus, who was just uncoupling himself from his weapons trailer and pulling away from it as Ratchet, Ironhide and Bumblebee transformed into their bipedal modes.

The Camaro scout gave a happy chirp and a quick salute as he headed off, seeing a training session going on with some of the human soldiers, probably wanting to use it as an excuse to get out of being in trouble again with Tess. She had to applaud him for the clever alternative, even though she knew she wouldn't be able to stay mad at him anyway. Out of the corner of her eye, Tess spotted Mikaela in Ratchet's workshop, welding a part for one of the helicopters that needed a new blade motor, so all the younger girl did was give a wave and return to her work.

Tessa very much admired how dedicated Mikaela was, she'd truly found a new calling with N.E.S.T since her break-up with Sam. Apparently Sam had himself a new girlfriend, but surprisingly that didn't seem to bother the former teen, she didn't wish any ill for her ex-boyfriend, and Tess found this to be a very grown-up way of treating things; she was proud of Mikaela.

She approached the soot where her bots were located, but noticed that Optimus had not transformed, which was unusual for him. He liked to return to bipedal mode as soon as he was out of sight of the general public, it was the form that was most comfortable and natural for him.

"Welcome home!" she smiled warmly, genuinely relieved as she placed a hand against the dusty, slightly scuffed paint of her Peterbilt, "I was worried about you two."

Tess turned to look at Ratchet with an honest smile, but her expression froze a little when she realized that the CMO appeared perplexed, almost _bothered_ by something. Concerned, she questioned the problem.  
>"Ratchet…? Is something the matter? What's wrong?" before the medic could respond, she had turned to the still alt mode Prime, "Chief?"<p>

"We discovered some things that concern me. I will need to call a meeting with the Director, her people owe answers." Optimus' voice came through the grill of the truck, and Tess was surprised to hear the shortness of his tone; he sounded…_angry_…in a way that only Optimus Prime could. He was the only being she knew that could keep a calm, level tone and still portray rage so regally.

But, she tried to let her own relief of their homecoming rub off, hoping to spread some of her improved mood. "Well, at least you don't have to arrange one, Mearing is apparently on her way here."  
>"Why?" Ratchet asked, "What business was she called for?"<p>

Tess shifted and cast a glance at Ironhide, who was well aware of the hassle she'd gone through with the council and the JCS treating her like the raid had been her fault. No doubt Lennox was being informed of the whole fiasco, seeing as he was basically the head commander of N.E.S.T's human component, and to be honest she felt that he and Optimus were _far_ more equipped to be able to deal with the problem than she was. With a sigh, she shrugged and looked up at the CMO with a tired expression.

"Bumblebee and the others went on a rouge outing, something about the Middle East apparently…I'm not really sure of the details, but whatever it was…obviously the big guns in the office didn't think it was a good idea. They sort of…blamed me, I think."

"_Blamed_ you?" Optimus snarled from the grill of the truck. Tess found herself turning rather sharply at the tone in his voice…he sounded like he was _seething_…perhaps revealing the trouble she'd gotten into was a bad idea…

Hurriedly, Tess placed her hand on the chrome work of the Peterbilt and attempted to try and calm him, "Chief, it's okay, it's okay. Now that you guys are back, I seriously doubt they'll have any interest in me; you're their main focus."

"…Mm."

The mechanic was slightly alarmed by his shortness, there had to be something very serious that was bothering him to have got him to act this way, it was not often that Optimus Prime let his anger or frustration show so easily. Tess looked over at Ratchet for answers, seeing Que and Ironhide discussing a few weapons and upgrades out of the corner of her eye.

"Ratch?" she asked gently, "What _happened_ out there…?"

The CMO glanced at his leader, who had still not changed out of his alternate mode. "We discovered some concerns regarding the honesty of your race, and we fear there may have been things kept from us."

"I hope their commander lass is arrivin' soon." Que cut in suddenly, turning from the weapons specialist to look at Tess with an eccentric motioning with his hands, "Optimus has never responded this way, will she be getting' here soon, ya suppose?"  
>"I…I don't know Que," she replied softly, casting a worried glance at her partner, "I hope she gets here soon, it sounds like there are a few things Chief has to say…"<p>

A strong silence emanated from the leader, which worried Tess far more than any abruptness he was capable of. Optimus did not have the sort of personality that made him aggressively shut in, but anger was seething from him in almost tangible waves; Tess could tell that something had either angered or worried him very much, and this was cause enough for her to worry about him.

She spent the next 20 minutes trying to get Optimus to talk to her, to tell her what was on his mind. That 20 minutes was also spent trying to settle Que, who was evidently worried for his Prime about what concerned him, and she eventually got him out of her hair because Ironhide started to ask the inventor a few long-winded questions about some new weaponry designs.

It was when she spotted Mearing approaching Lennox on the other side of the hangar, that she felt a lump catch in her throat, worried for what could possibly be about to unfold. After all, the Director was planning to be mad at her, and Optimus was mad at the Director. It was going to be an…_interesting_ little triangle going on.

Taking a deep breath, Tess decided that she didn't want to leave Lennox to cope with Mearing alone. With a heavy sigh, she glanced down at her greasy jumpsuit and placed a subtle touch to the chrome of the Peterbilt's grill before jogging over to where the Colonel was walking briskly across the base with Mearing a short ways ahead of him, taking note of Bumblebee running through a training session with a few of the soldiers, who were explaining how to do a head kill shot on an enemy Decepticon.

Lennox glanced at Tess as she came into step beside him, Mearing barely even noting her presence initially, obviously in the process of a professional scolding with the Major.

"As Director of National Intelligence," she said sternly, "I'm a really big fan of intelligent answers."

Will seemed to pause slightly as he followed quickly, sounding a little frazzled as he spoke and suddenly Tess felt glad that she'd not left him by himself in this, "I can't really tell you _definitively_. These Autobots are like teenage kids. They like to sneak out of the house every once in a while."

Without looking up from her cell phone, Mearing shot back a remark, and Tessa found herself internally groaning at the tone in her voice, like she was addressing a child. "Colonel Lennox, are you in command or are you not-?"

"-Yes, _ma'am_, I am. It's-"  
>The little mechanic could have flinched with the speed that Mearing snapped around to look at Lennox, lowering her phone to look up at him; evidently not in any way bothered by the height advantage he had. "Stop with the ma'am. <em>Enough<em> with the ma'am. Do I look like a ma'am?" The Asian woman behind her shook her head slowly as Mearing watched from her peripheral vision, but Tess noticed that the motion was practiced and obviously familiar.

Clearly Mearing had had issues with being called 'ma'am' many times before.

Personally, she didn't really see the big problem the Director had with it, it was being used as a _respectful_ term; not something snarky or derogatory; which was more than she could say for Mearing herself, because in the times Tess had met her, she found her condescending and hard-assed in a lot of ways, despite her obvious concern for doing her job properly. She just didn't think that doing one's job should require being a downright _bitch_ to someone.

She was cut from her thoughts as Lennox spoke, obviously unsure of how to answer without offending the Director.

"No ma'am… Y-yes ma'am. Yes."

Mearing gave an indignant expression and held her head higher, turning to walk away as they followed. Tess noticed that they were now on route to see Optimus in the space that he was parked, and nervously she stepped up her pace to walk beside the older woman.

"Director Mearing," she started conceredly, "I had a conference with the JCS while Optimus was in Chernobyl, about me being his… 'second-in-command' basically… I'm not a soldier, and I'm not a commander; I don't order anything of the Autobots, it's not my place to–"

"Miss Jackson," Mearing said briskly, pausing for just a fraction of a second to look at Tess from her feet to her hair, assessing her before she continued, "you wouldn't be _my_ first choice for a 2IC either, but _he_ chose you. That is order enough for the council, the Defence ministers, the CIA, the National Intelligence and every other military government organization to be given a go ahead. These are as much your soldiers as they are Prime's, and you'd better get used to that, because it obviously comes with the territory of a cross-species conundrum. Your second-in-command, so act like it; otherwise I'll report it as a neglect of duty and you'll be off this operation, and off this base."

"Director-?!" Lennox tried to cut in, casting a worried glance at his mechanic friend. But Tess put a hand on his chest and shook her head silently, watching the back of Mearing's head as she walked a little ways in front of them with her assistant beside her.

She knew what everyone expected of her, being Optimus Prime's chosen Sparkmate, and in a lot of ways Mearing was…_right_… If Optimus could not command his soldiers himself, she was the one who knew him inside and out, and would be able to ask herself 'what would Optimus do?' in such situations. She needed to take on the responsibility that came with being his partner, with being his wife.

Throughout history, many great leaders were often counterpart to their wives or ladies; with equal command over army forces. This would be no different…Tess just had to get used to the idea that she did in fact have a troupe of alien soldiers that _would_ obey her when the time came for it to be necessary.

"…I understand, Director Mearing." She said tensely.

Charlotte Mearing was genuinely a little bit surprised by the acceptance, but she made no physical signs of showing it. At least the mechanic was no fool, Tessa Jackson obviously knew the expectations, and Mearing was somewhat relieved, if not slightly impressed, that the girl knew when to step down and accept an order.

Mearing was not stupid, she knew a valuable ally when she saw one, and responses like these would certainly not lose Tess any points. It would at least make it easier for Mearing to view her as an equal…given enough time to do so.

Tessa tensed quietly and exhaled a deep breath as they crossed the hangar to where the Autobots were located, falling in to step beside Lennox as she recalled the apparently foul mood Optimus was in. Personally she didn't envy the woman for whatever discussion he had in mind, because Prime had certainly _not_ seemed at all pleased about the mission to Chernobyl. What had he discovered? What had he learned?

Swallowing nervously, Tess cast a glance at Lennox…then braced herself for the worst.


	110. Retrace

**HURRAY FOR A NOT-SHORT UPDATE!**

**Enjoy, you guys! This one's got a nice little treat thrown in at the end just because people asked for it ;P**

Tessa nervously twisted her jumpsuit in the palms of her hands as she walked beside Mearing and Lennox, with Will being in the middle.

She had a very strong suspicion that Optimus was still not in a pleasant mood. She _hoped_ that wasn't the case…but she seriously doubted it.

"This gun is my perfect invention, Ironhide!" she heard Que say somewhat excitedly, glad to see that he had indeed managed to distract himself from the situation with Prime for at least a little while. He'd been asking Tess repeatedly when Mearing was arriving, and what exactly was the matter with Optimus, but Tessa knew about as much as everyone else at present.  
>"Right." Ironhide said with a somewhat appeasing tone to his voice. Tessa caught glance with her weapon specialist friend and gave him a weak smile, mouthing a 'thank you' at him for having kept Que busy. However that didn't last much longer, because once the inventor cast a hasty look around him, he caught sight of Lennox and Mearing with Tessa in tow, and evidently wanted his dilemma answered.<p>

"Oh good, you're here!" he said eccentrically, "Me name's Que! I do hope ya have answers for 'im. I've never _seen_ him so upset."

The little mechanic's heart dropped in worry, obviously Optimus was still pretty intensely upset about something, and she couldn't say that she was…_looking forward_ to finding out what it was…

"Optimus," Lennox said firmly, projecting his voice so that Prime could hear clearly in his vehicular form, "you remember Charlotte Mearing?" Nothing. "Our Director of National Intelligence?"

Tess noticed the way Ironhide placed a hand over Dino's chest, in a silent indication to step back; and to her it almost looked like a warning. It was Ironhide's wordless way of implying '_don't say something stupid_' to the smug, Ferrari-bot.

"He's in a bad mood." Dino finally said, somewhat compliantly stepping back a few feet before lifting his hands in dismissal at the remark, his Italian accent thick and heavy, "He's-a not talkin' to anybody today."

It was only as she looked up at Dino's remark that Tess realized that both he and Bumblebee had managed to sneak away from their respective duties of debriefing and training, to join Que, Ironhide and Optimus while she'd been distracted with meeting Lennox and Mearing. For massive alien robots, they could certainly be sneaky enough when they chose to.

Mearing leaned against the metal working bench that was in front of the Peterbilt, which had a strange electronic looking contraption on the counter, and she glanced at Lennox and Tessa before speaking in that familiarly condescending tone that Tess didn't like.

"What is this, the _silent_ treatment?" she chided, her expression much like that of a displeased parent as she looked up at the Autobots for answers.

The mechanic found herself deeply annoyed by the assumption that Optimus would ever do something so childish, she found that offensive to everything her Sparkmate stood for.

"We've seen that and this is not that." Ironhide explained shortly, taking a step back from the Director and squaring his shoulders almost threateningly in a display of power.

"Definitely not." Que agreed, his gaze firmly on Optimus as he concurred with Ironhide's prognosis before the weapons specialist continued.

"This is worse."

Hastily, Tess rounded the desk and stood at the grill of the Peterbilt, murmuring gently at him.

"Chief…if something is wrong, you need to tell them. _Talk_ to her Optimus…" she pleaded softly, tapping the metal with her finger as a subtle form of encouragement. However the woman was unpleasantly surprised when Optimus did not answer her at all, obviously he was too caught up in whatever anger he was feeling to pay heed to her reasoning.

She didn't like that.

Lifting her face from the truck, she took a step back and shook her head in frustration; Optimus needed to confront Mearing if there was something that plagued him this intensely and if a gentle prodding wasn't going to snap him out of it, she'd resort to force.

"Ironhide," she said reluctantly, "snap him out of it…"

With an understanding nod, Ironhide took a step towards his old friend and took on a gruff, barking tone in his voice, unhappy that the leader was even denying words with his Lady out of this anger.

"Prime! Make something of yourself!" as the Peterbilt's cabin split down the centre backing, Ironhide cast a glance to the human congregation and offered them something that was half explanation, half warning. "He's pissed."

In the midst of the noise, Tess took note that Ironhide was using language that sounded very much like something that Aaron would say; and in the back of her mind she thought it was endearing that her two 'siblings' from separate families had such a jovial 'bromance' that they were influencing one another. Aaron had even started using Cybertronian slang of late.

However she was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of Optimus' transformation. The hydraulics hissed angrily and his gears and metal shifted into place in an almost furious sounding way. Like the feeling of someone stomping through a house and slamming doors to show their displeasure, it was much the same with the way Optimus was changing forms.

Except Optimus being angry was _much_ scarier…

Finally, his transformation was completed and his fists thumped down to the concrete flooring dangerously, however Tess noticed that he made sure to so _away_ from where she was standing.

"You lied to us." He growled lowly, his tone sounding almost dangerous as he glared down at Mearing. Tess had to admit, the woman had an amazing poker face, because she didn't flinch. The only suggestion that the Director was even remotely intimidated, was the shift of her eyes as Optimus spoke his next words, and the slight rise of her throat when he addressed his issue. "Everything humans know of our planet we were told had all been shared. So why was _this_ found in human possession?"

His large metal fingers curled to a point as he gestured to the large metal…_ball_ on the table, before pointing in the general direction of the human populace of Mearing's council. From what Tess knew of Cybertronian technology through her study with Ratchet, the object on the metal bench appeared to be some type of energy core, or functioning electrical part. Was it important? Why would humans have had any need for something as incomprehensibly advance technology as this when they wouldn't even know how to _use_ it?

To her credit, Mearing did not miss a single beat of the accusation, rising up to meet the verbal challenge ahead of her. "We were in the dark on this also." She kept her tone level and explanatory, and Tess had to admit that she admired her poise, "It was Director Only clearance at Sector 7 until now." She turned to her little assistant, who was standing over to the side with the Director's staff horde.

"Which bag?" she mouthed in a worried whisper.

Mearing took on a sharp, irritated tone as she hissed through her teeth, "Hermés. Birkin. _Green ostrich_!"

Tess found herself taken aback by how quickly Mearing seemed to be annoyed with the young Asian woman, because so far Tess had witnessed the assistant to be nothing but obedient, accommodating and capable; it almost made her wonder if Mearing bullied her like that often. Hurried little clicks of the assistant's heels rang through the hangar as she hurriedly crossed the gap.

Mearing's breathed scoff of 'Oh, my God." Gave the impression of incompetence, and Tess did not like that in the least. The assistant stood beside Mearing and reached over with the specified bag, looking up at Optimus with a cautious and dignified manner as she straightened up.

"This is a secret few men knew," Mearing explained to Prime as she removed what appeared to be an old VCR tape, "and fewer still remain alive." The Director then carelessly handed the bag back to her assistant and then took a step back as she addressed Optimus, sounding much more level and genuine, "Allow me to please introduce to you two of NASA's founding mission directors and astronaut Dr Buzz Aldrin," she turned and made her way towards a small congregation of evidently white haired men, the tape still in hand, "one of the first two men to step foot on the moon."

Admittedly, Tess felt her heart skip a little. She was in the same room as one of the first human beings to ever visit the Earth's orbiting moon. Her Gran had watched the moon landing in 1969, and had often had many theoretic discussions with Tessa's grandfather over whether or not the moon landing was in fact real. Being in the same place as _Buzz Aldrin_…if Gran could see this…

"Sir?" Mearing said, cutting in to Tessa's thoughts as she watched the Director shake hands rather warmly with the astronaut, appearing quite honoured herself as she turned to introduce him to the Autobot leader, "Optimus Prime." She then moved away towards the raised catwalk, no doubt to put the tape somewhere it could be viewed.

The expression on the rather elderly man's face was evidently one of astounded amazement as he looked up at the Autobot leader with a cheeky smile that reminded the mechanic _so much_ of her grandfather's. Optimus was kneeling slightly so that he could address the new man that had entered the base, understanding that Aldrin obviously had a position of great respect among humans.  
>"From a fellow space traveller, it's a true honour."<p>

Prime knelt down low before the elderly human, with Ironhide standing close behind him with a quiet, observational appearance. "The honour is mine." Optimus said regally, his tone losing all of its previous anger. Tess wasn't sure whether this was _genuinely_ because the anger had been diffused, or whether he was just being respectful of the new company they had present. Whatever the reason, there was little time to dwell on it, because Mearing had started with her briefing, the woman walking across the raised catwalk with her information ready on her tongue.

"Our entire space race of the 1960's, it appears, was in response to an event." She gestured down to one of the NASA directors, the one with the glasses, so that he could continue with his own intel that Mearing could not provide herself.

"Our astronauts investigated a crashed alien ship. No survivors on board."

Tess felt her heart race a little at the concept that the 1969 moon-landing broadcast that people thought had simply been a monumental reach for the stars, was in fact some sort of conspiracy. It was the same sort of feeling she'd gotten as a child, being told that Santa Claus wasn't real.

Buzz Aldrin looked around him at his men and the soldiers in the hangar, and said slowly, "We were sworn to secrecy by our Commander in Chief."

The balding man with the thick glasses gave a nod in agreement and continued. "A total of 35 people knew that real plan at NASA." His speech was passed on to the other man standing beside him, a slightly taller man with more hair and a more rectangular jawline, he also had incredibly blue eyes, Tess noticed.

"Soviets managed to land unmanned probes. Somehow they must have picked up that fuel rod."

Mearing nodded and leaned against the railing to address Optimus directly, the footage from the tape was playing on the screen behind her with what appeared to be images of the facility that the Autobots had obviously just investigated. "We believed the Russians deduced that the rod was a fissionable fuel assembly, believed they had it mastered and tried to harness it at Chernobyl."  
>"We landed six missions in all." The bald NASA director explained to Prime, "We took hundreds of photos and samples. We locked them away forever, and the moon programme was shut down…"<p>

"Well, did you search the crash vault?" Ironhide asked, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world; like it should have been the _first_ thing they did. Tess watched in silent disbelief as all of the corporate 'big cats' simply shared a look among themselves as though they had no idea what he was talking about. Which in a way, she supposed that was a fair statement, because as far as she knew, a human spacecraft did not possess 'crash vaults' like Ironhide had mentioned. But fortunately Optimus saw fit to fill the present company in on their lacking information.

"The ship's name was The Ark." He said slowly, and Tess did not miss the slow, almost sad tone underlying his statement, "I watched it escape Cybertron myself. It was carrying an Autobot technology which would have won us the war. And…it's captain."

_Won__ them the war_?! Tess thought worriedly. She felt her chest ache with the thought that her bots could have been free and peaceful long ago without ever having had to leave their home planet. All because one ship got destroyed… _That has to be killing Optimus…having been so close…_ Tess felt the sudden urge to cry for their loss, but was shaken from the thought as Mearing leaned against the railing of the walkway with a somewhat more gentle tone than before as she spoke.

"Who was its captain?" she asked as Optimus placed his hand on the railing beside her. Tess found herself surprised by the…_humanity_ that Mearing displayed. It was something that they'd never seen from Galloway, he'd just been an outright jerk; but Charlotte Mearing showed genuineness when it was required, and it just proved that she had enough integrity in her personality to actually _care_ about her soldiers.

"The great Sentinel Prime," Optimus rumbled calmly, "the technology's inventor. He was commander of the Autobots, before me." Tess did not miss the subtle fondness that was in his voice before his tone took on one of professional, rigid command, "It's imperative that I find it before the Decepticons learn of its location. Our Autobot spacecraft has the ability to get there, and...you must pray it's in time."

Mearing looked around at their congregation before catching eyes with Lennox, her shoulders squaring and her jaw tensing as she nodded and issued him instruction, "Prepare for a mission, Colonel Lennox; we'll be going to the NASA shuttle base, tonight."

The little mechanic looked over at Will as he gave a nod and performed a habitual, regimented salute. "Yes ma'a – uh…Yes Director." He responded. Mearing shot him a look out the corner of her eye and descended the stairs before taking a file from her assistant and heading to the administration section of the building.

Optimus began to issue some instructions to his soldiers, and while he did so, Tess hurriedly made her way over to where the NASA directors were heading out. "Dr Aldrin!" she called, her walking increasing to a very gentle jog as she caught up with them, the astronaut turning to answer the address. She stood up straight in front of him and offered an awkward smile as she held out her hand, "My name is Tess Jackson, I'm one of the mechanics here…I just…I just wanted to meet you and shake your hand, sir. I grew up on stories of you and Neil Armstrong from my grandparents, they were big fans."

She watched the way the gentle smile crossed the old man's features and he reached out his hand in response to shake hers kindly, "Jackson…I heard that name, Headquarters mentioned something about one of the staff being…_involved_ with one of those robots, if you don't mind my asking, young lady?"

A very bare tinge of pink crossed her cheeks before she shrugged, "No, that's okay. I _am_ 'involved' with one of them. Optimus is…kind of my husband."

_Still feels weird to call him that…_

Aldrin looked over with a raised eyebrow at Prime as he left the hangar, "Really? Wow. Must say, it would certainly make for an interesting dynamic, Miss Jackson." He reached out a hand to her again to shake it, but this time clasped it firmly in both of his with a warm smile. He reminded her _so much_ of her Grampy with the jovial way that his eyes gleamed, "Well, I just hope he treats you well."

She gave a slight laughed and placed a hand over his with a polite grin, "Oh, he does sir. Greatest man I know." She looked to the NASA group who were obviously waiting on the astronaut, so she decided to cut things short; she felt the need to go and check on Optimus anyhow, "It was an honour to meet you, Dr Aldrin." She complimented.

"And you." he replied, "A pleasure, Miss Jackson."

As he departed, Tess glanced around the hangar at the teams that were making the preparations for the trip out to the shuttle base, and she managed to slip away unnoticed to the loft apartment she and Optimus shared. Seeing him parked in the centre of his space already in vehicular form clued her in to the fact that there was something still on his mind… Determinedly, she punched in the security lock on the doors, and the light turned red.

Nobody was going to disturb them now.

"Optimus?" Tess asked gently, moving closer to the truck with cautious steps before placing her hands on the passenger side door. Her fingers traced lovingly along the scuffed paint before she pulled the handle and climbed inside the cabin.

She knew from experience that when he had something on his mind that he could not hide, he was prone to staying in alt mode, because it was harder for his human allies to pick up on his body language when he was disguised as a truck.

But Tess knew him better than that.

"Chief," she said, more firmly this time as she rested her fingers against the dashboard, "I'm not leaving until you talk to me. You've hardly said a word to me since you got back; tell me what's bothering you."

"…" a heavy silence was all that answered her, and her eyebrows furrowed in slight hurt.

"Optimus Prime, don't you dare ignore me. I've never seen you so angry as I did today, so you'd better get that motor mouth running or I'll _make_ you."

Her tone was harsh and serious, but the lightness of her fingers against the dash and the seat leather told him that the abruptness was only to make him open up…that she was not truly threatening him.

"The Ark…" he murmured finally, "I watched it escape Cybertron in the final days of the war…just before the planet went dead, we lost our finest leader."

"You mean that Sentinel Prime you mentioned to Mearing?" she asked softly, slouching in the seat and resting her head against the backing.

"Yes. He was the leader of the Autobots before I was even a Prime myself. It was through his training and guidance that I became the warrior I am; his training that kept myself, and my soldiers, alive..." She heard the dark, saddened tone in his voice, and the realization suddenly struck her. Sentinel Prime was the being who had taught Optimus his values, his core beliefs and his skills in battle. Essentially she owed his life to Sentinel, and the way that Optimus spoke of him told her that this older Prime meant a great deal to the being she loved.

"He was…a father figure to you…wasn't he, Optimus?" she whispered softly, her fingers tracing the grooving of the leather seat as he made a rumbling sound of confirmation, "What was he like? Do you think he survived?"

Optimus was silent for a moment before he vented heavily and spoke to her with an almost questioning tone in his voice "…Tess…" he rumbled, "…This is truly not something I wish to discuss at present… Whether or not Sentinel Prime lives, and I pray to Primus that he does somehow, it is impossible to tell until The Ark is searched. I do not wish to raise the hopes of my soldiers…nor of myself, only to find such hopes to be false. The situation will become what it will; there will be nothing I can do to change it."

She was quiet for a moment mulling over what he had said, and in a way she supposed that he was right. To get his hopes up about finding this Sentinel only to have them dashed would be horrible; like someone telling her that her Gran or Grampy might be alive only to find out they weren't. It would be devastating. So, hoping for a way to distract him and relieve some of his stressful tension, she placed her hands on the dashboard and stroked the plastic with her thumbs tenderly.

"Well, you know…there was something _else_ you need to do before you go flying off to the moon, Optimus." She murmured gently, "Remember our little…_conversation_ before you arrived in Chernobyl…?"

"…. I believe I do." He replied liquidly, easily falling into the much easier and happier topic of conversation as a way of distracting himself from all the responsibility and turmoil on his shoulders at present, "If I recall rightly..." he started, pausing in his speech as static collected in the cabin and the electrical snaking of the Holoform's body began to form until it was a solid entity, the voice transferring to the Holoform as he spoke; leaning over the seat to place an arm either side of Tessa, "…I seem to have said something about _convincing_ you."

The mechanic shot him a sly smile as she placed her arms over his shoulders and tangled her fingers into the human Holoform's messy blue-black locks. It had been over seven months since they'd actually _used_ the human form, so it felt a little strange to be looking at a flesh and bone rendition of Optimus, but it was familiar none the less.

"Alright, cowboy…" she said cheekily, "…_convince_ me then."

She took note of the genuine little smile that he gave her before pressing forward and sealing his lips over hers in an insistent kiss. His hands slid from the seat and up to her waistline as he pressed her against the cabin door, his fingers sliding beneath the hem of her jumpsuit pants and up the backing of her shirt. In retaliation Tess tightened her fingers in his hair and slid her tongue against his bottom lip, encouraging him to open his mouth and grant her access.

Given that they had been lovers for such a length of time, Optimus had learned well the specifics of human interactions, at least with her. He did not require learning or guidance when it came to kissing, for he had become quite competent enough on his own; just as Tessa had spent time learning the 'pressure points' of Cybertronian anatomy, the erogenous zones and where it felt best for his kind.

She'd learned all of his kinks and pleasures, just as he had taken to learning hers.

Kisses grew heated as she worked him up, her hands tracing down his neck and along his back so that she could slide them around to the front of his abdomen; gently trailing her nails teasingly along the hem of his jeans. "Don't know why you bothered with clothes, Optimus." She pointed out breathily between kisses, "You're just making more work for me."

Tess felt him smile against her mouth, taking her lip between his teeth as his hands fumbled with the knotted jumpsuit arms at her waist. "Removing your clothing is one of my favourite steps in a human interface, Tess. I thought it polite to extend you the same courtesy."

"Mmm, how thoughtful…" she hummed, separating their mouths to press an open-mouthed kiss against his exposed skin on his neck. Her tongue traced the flesh, tasting metal and the afterscent of diesel in his fragrance; her fingers unclasping his jeans and making short work of the fly. "Better kick those boots off, Chief. They're in my way."

His nose bent to the crook of her neck and he inhaled deeply as his hand ghosted across her breast, "Hmm…and if I _don't_, Miss Jackson…?" he rumbled darkly.

To his surprise, she grabbed hold of the front of his shirt, shoved him backward and crawled over the Holoform to plant a deep, searing kiss to his mouth before leaning over him nose-to-nose. "Ex_cuse_ me," she whispered, "but who's convincing _who_, here?"

Optimus' brows furrowed into a dangerous look that he only ever used when playing around with her, in the privacy of their home where they could unleash and unwind. "You know," he growled deeply, pressing his forehead against hers without breaking eye contact, "…I cannot seem to recall."

Tess felt that playful desire snake its way up into her chest, making her giggle at him with no need to feel embarrassed. When you knew a person both inside and out, you had nothing to hide; nothing to feel shame or embarrassment about. "Is that so, Prime?" she hissed, "Then maybe I ought to teach you a lesson or two…"

Optimus was genuinely startled when she took the belt loops of his jeans in her fingers and yanked them down to the Holoform's knees, making a point of keeping the boots on as punishment, "T-Tess-?"

She leaned across him and planted a kiss to his mouth gently, "Relax…" she whispered, sealing his mouth against hers once more, pleased with the muffled sound of compliance he made.

One of the biggest kinks she'd noticed with Optimus, was that he didn't mind…_submitting_ a little bit. She supposed that with having to be the leader all the time, always be the strong one, the wise one; the one with all the answers that everyone leaned on, that it was nice for him to have one place in the world where he didn't _have_ to lead.

Certainly that didn't mean that he didn't enjoy the times where the Holoform could pin Tess to the mattress and assert the masculine dominance that every males craves, but simply that every now and again; he was prepared to let Tess control things.

And that was just what she planned to do now.

Her lithe little fingers slid down the clothed musculature of his chest beneath the shirt, and anchored her fingers around the hardening flesh that was now exposed from between his legs. A surprised, moan rolled up his chest as his fingers tightened around her waist, kissing her forcefully with more fervour, only for her to release his lips and trail kisses down his chest, slowly heading southward as she mapped his body.

In the early stages of their relationship, he'd have protested what he guessed she was about to do, but after so long of being sexual partners, there was no need for modesty between them. There was just as much honour in receiving, as there was in giving; and they both knew that. However no amount of expectation ever prepared him for the sensation of her mouth wrapping around him. It was certainly an experience that, the first time she'd done it, had caused him to actually swear and breathe Primus' name. Oral sex was not a Cybertronian method, it took far too much trust and compromising of safety for it to be done so, therefore when Tess had first got the courage to do so to him, he'd very nearly shorted a circuit at the action.

A guttural snarl escaped Optimus as he felt her tongue trace the underside of the turgid flesh, and he tried to shift his legs to cage her own, but he found that his jeans shackled his knees quite firmly, and the boots he had refused to kick off earlier now prevented him from being able to kick off the pants. With a growl, he tried to arch his body against here, but Tess firmly placed a hand to his abdomen to pin him back to the chair.  
>"Huh-uh," she whispered against him, "lesson to be learned, Chief."<p>

Before he could respond, her mouth re-enveloped him and her teeth dragged over the skin, making him cry out rather incoherently as she did so. There were very few pleasured he'd experienced like this, but internally he was still always a fraction reluctant about Tess performing such risqué actions on him, because in much of the information he'd first gathered on human interface, oral sex was often looked at as derogatory, and he did not want that for her.  
>Tess, however, had reminded him often that if she didn't <em>want<em> to do it, she'd never have offered in the first place and he would have been none the wiser.

Optimus was cut from these thoughts as his Lady dragged her teeth from the base to the tip of the Holoform's erection, causing him to cry out in a wordless plea as his fists clenched the leather of the seat.

"Tess…" he ground out through his teeth, "Please…I will not last much longer from this…"

Taking the hint, she slowly dragged her mouth off of him and set about removing the boots he wore, completely unreactive when they dissolved into little electrical pulses. The pants followed suit and soon he was naked from the waist down. In order to even it out, she made short work removing her own jumpsuit and crawling back over him with a knowing smile. She placed a heavy kiss to his collarbone as her fingers grasped his length and guided him into her, a soundless gasp escaping her at the sensation of her lover, her mate, her husband, being within her.

Their thrusts and movements were practiced, familiar; and it was not long before Tess found her mind grasping the edge of a release that he built her up to. He came first, the sensation causing her own reaction as bliss hit her at last. All their worries, all their problems dissolved for just those few lingering seconds as they reached for the stars, ignoring the horrible world around them and being able to imagine that for just a few moments, everything was at peace.

Prime's Holoform cradled Tess in his lap, remaining inside her for those few lingering moments as he had a habit of doing. She found that he enjoyed the closeness, it was the most assuring and engulfing feeling that one could get, and she knew that after sex he liked to just enjoy those last few moments before he had to return to the world where he was the leader, the commander…

As she pressed against him, Tess planted a kiss to the crook of his neck, savouring the quiet bliss of the cabin as she whispered at him. "Optimus…?"

His eyes were closed in a contented manner, his fingers tightening their hold on her back. "…Mmm?"

Another comfortable, blissfully relaxed silence filled the cabin for a few moments before she finally bothered to reply, far too content to actually move.

"…Make sure you bring me back a moon rock…"


	111. Author's Note 4

**THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER, I AM SO SORRY!**

**I know, I have been out of action for FAAAAAAAAR too long.**

**Truth be told, I CANNOT for the life of me, shake this Writer's Block.**

**I thank you for sticking around, and I understand if some of you have lost any interest in this story…but I have made a pact with myself.**

**I AM GOING TO GET A DAMN CHAPTER OUT THIS WEEKEND! I SWEAR IN THE NAME OF PRIMUS!**

**Every time I've tried writing a chapter, it blocks me all the way. Things don't flow, or situations seem strange and unharacteristis.**

**But by DAMN IT I am going to try, I **_**promise**_**!**

**I am so sorry to keep you guys hanging like this, my birthday was the other day and I WAS going to try getting a chapter out for you all as celebration…but it was a pretty crappy day and I got really down about my Writer's Block. SO, here's to a clean slate.**

**LET'S DO THIS!**

**Also, suggestions and ideas for 'along-the-movie-storyline' would probably help me a great deal! ALL OF MY LOVE TO YOU, I PROMISE I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GET A CHAPTER OUT THIS WEEKEND!**

**UlurNaga xxx**


	112. Rocket Man

**YAY! I MANAGED TO WRITE A CHAPTER!**

**ERRMERRGURRD :D**

**This chapter is a little on the shorter side, and to me it lacks a LOT of flow, because it fought me EVERY WORD OF THE WAY T~T  
>But, I promised I would get a chapter out for you guys, and I MEANT it God-darn it! :) Anyway, enjoy, my lovely minions.<br>**

**I will hopefully be seeing you all sooner rather than later; but for now I have to go buy my Mummy her birthday present for tomorrow.  
>ALL MY LOVE!<strong>

Tessa didn't like the thought of Optimus going off to the moon without her being on the shuttle base to wait for him, and normally she would comply with the fact that it was safer for her to remain in Washington.

But this time however, she had insisted upon going; wanting the chance to see Epps and to see the Wreckers on the NASA base despite them not being particularly _warm_ towards her.

She wanted to chance to be amicable with Prime's soldiers, especially after the situation she'd had to deal with from the corporate heads of N.E.S.T saying that they were _her_ soldiers too. Tess didn't like the thought of having any Autobot under her command at all, but she at least wanted to feel as though she had their respect.

God forbid, if something happened to Optimus and she was forced to step up to command…although she suspected it would probably be Ironhide that would step up to the plate before she ever could.

Despite everything that she knew about Optimus, the world of Cybertronians was still foreign and strange to her.

Tess was currently sitting in the office of the shuttle base, watching the monitors and the charts that were screening information to the operators. It had been decided that Ratchet was going to accompany Optimus to the moon, in case there was the chance that any soldiers on the long wrecked spacecraft that would require the CMO's expertise.

The Xanthium was capable of travelling much faster through space than a human spacecraft, so it would only be a day or so before the medic and the Autobot leader would be on the surface of the Earth's moon. She still found it a little surreal to think that they were _going to the moon_, it felt so far away and yet they made it seem so reachable.

It just went to show how little humanity had achieved in comparison, just a tiny speck in a much larger universe than they could comprehend.

For now, the office staff received regular transmissions updating them on the distance and speed of both the Xanthium, and of the rover shuttle that N.E.S.T were sending along with them. They needed to have eyes on the moon while the Autobots were there, should there be any sort of information that they might be able to gather for use later.

"Hey Tess." Came a familiar voice from behind her.

The mechanic turned away from the rather complicated and boring computer screens and a grin crossed her face upon seeing Robert Epps standing behind her chair.

"Epps!" she exclaimed happily, shifting from her seat to stand and hug her friend, "It's so good to see you, how have you been?"

The man gave a deep chuckle and gestured around them at the base, "Amazing. This is a dream job, I go home at the end of the day, help my girls with their homework and have dinner with my wife. No more worrying about whether I'm gonna make it home or not after a day's work."

Tessa gave him a warm grin, patting him firmly on the shoulder, "I'm glad." she said earnestly, "You deserve it, Epps, really you do. Monique must be so relieved having you home every day."

"You bet. So How's things with all your folks; must be hard being in Washington where you can't see them all the time."  
>She felt her heart ache a little at the reminder, she missed her parents, her brothers, Lucy and Thomas every day; no matter how happy she was with Optimus and the Autobots her family would always be her family. And being so far away did not give much opportunity for her to see them.<p>

"Yeah, I miss them... But I talk to them on the phone a lot, my niece Lucy is almost nine now…she's a little smarty pants, I'm telling you. And Thomas just turned four, my little nephew."

The dark skinned soldier gave an amused scoff, "You know, I still remember you taking off from work early to go visit your family in the hospital when that kid was born. First time you and Prime left base together."

A fond expression crossed her face at the memory, and she nodded with a snicker, "I did too. God, that feels like so long ago…I don't ever remember being without any of you guys. Hate to say it, but I'm actually _glad_ the garage I was working at before N.E.S.T let me go."

"Pretty sure Prime thinks so too." He replied cheekily, a grin on his face as he watched her smile and shake her head.  
>She scoffed and gave a laugh as she playfully pushed at his shoulder, "Who knows, maybe if I hadn't been around, Optimus might've Sparkbonded with some up herself, stuffy old bitch with a dominatrix fetish."<p>

Epps hollered with laughter as he shook his head "Doubt it, that's hardly his type."

"Oh, I dunno…there was this one time with handcuffs…" Tess teased jovially.

Her blood suddenly ran cold in embarrassment as Epps stopped laughing and froze to stare at her. "Wait…seriously…?"

The little mechanic's eyes widened and she squeaked, "What? _Oh _no,no, no. I am _not_ having this discussion with you! He's not seriously _into _anything like that!"_ Although he does have that kink for wall sex…_ she thought to herself. Thankfully, Epps steered them from that topic of conversation by raising his hands defensively.

"No, no it's cool. Don't wanna know, really!" he snickered, "How is it we always end up in conversations like this?"

Tess folded her arms and tilted her nose in the air in a mockingly dismissive and 'snobby' manner, "Your fault, not mine." She laughed, looking at the computer screens before gesturing to the door of the office, "Wanna go for a walk? You can show me around the base while we're waiting to hear back from Chief and Ratchet."

"Yeah, sure." He replied, turning to one of the techs who were running the constant transmissions to the Xanthium, "I'm borrowing Prime's woman, radio me if you guys hear anything early."

The tech gave an affirmative farewell and turned back to his computer screens to input some more calculations that Tess had no idea how to interpret. Happy and content, she took Epps' arm and led him outside, taking in a deep breath as the cool air hit her face.

"So, you got anything new on Optimus and Ratchet yet?" Tess asked him as they walked around base, letting go of his arm to stuff her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. The former soldier looked at her with a quizzical expression.  
>"Tess, haven't you been sitting in the control rooms all day? They haven't told you anything?" he laughed.<p>

In response, the mechanic playfully shoved him and shrugged nonchalantly as though she'd done nothing, a smile gracing her features. "What can I say, my husband is a secretive bot." she jested, "No, they're been getting updates and everything from Chief and Ratchet, but they haven't really found any need to relay anything to me. I mean, I'm not exactly imperative to this mission, so if there's something I need to know then I figured they'd tell me. I just thought maybe they'd tell you something first."

She gave another shrug, and Epps found himself noticing the change in her demeanour from when she'd first become a part of the N.E.S.T team. She'd worried and fretted and concerned herself over every danger that the Optimus and his soldiers (_both human and non_) put themselves in. Tess would always stress herself out to unbelievable limits with her empathy of their safety. But now that she had been with them for so many years, she was much calmer about situations such as this one.  
>If Optimus had been going to the moon four years prior, she'd have been an anxious bundle of nerves just waiting for confirmation that they'd made it back safely, after probably spending a night chewing her nails off.<p>

Epps had no doubts that she was still _worried_ when the Autobots and soldiers left base to perform dangerous mission, but she was much better at actually handling it now; she had more faith and trust in the fact that Optimus would return to her. Being Sparkbound, it was the most intense thing that his Spark would ever want; to be with _her_. Therefore she knew that even with a dying breath, he would do anything to return to her.

And whenever Optimus returned, he would make sure his soldiers did too. No matter what he had to do to make sure of that.

Epps shook his head at Tessa's enquiry with an apologetic expression, keeping his eyes ahead as they walked. They were coming up to the shuttle bay where the Wreckers and the other Autobots were located while they awaited the Xanthium's return.

"Sorry Tess, all I do now is run interference with these guys; what happens off the airbase, I'm not really on a basis to be told." He clasped a hand on her shoulder with a warm smile, "Don't worry, if there's somethin' you need to know, they'll tell you. All hell help them if Prime finds out they don't."

She looked at him and gave a laugh, shaking her head at his remark. Comfortably tucking her hands back into the pockets of her jacket, she looked up at the collection of Autobots congregated around the Xanthium bay, and felt a little of her anxiousness melt away. Seeing at least _some_ of her bots still here safe on the ground was a bit of a comfort in itself.

"Sides!" she called out, approaching with a wave of her hand. The silver Corvette-bot turned from his reclined position against the framing and offered her a cumbersome, metal smile as she neared.  
>"Well hello, Lady Prime!" he teased, using the title that he knew she was not fond of.<p>

As expected, she shot him a mockingly scolding look, knowing full well that he was saying the remark only out of jest. Therefore she cut him a little slack and didn't a_ctually_ get frustrated with the remark, instead she chose to ignore it and continue the conversation in a different direction.

"Heard anything from Chief or Ratchet?" she asked him.

Epps noticed that she seemed to be rather intent on getting _some_ information, which was understandable he supposed. She was undoubtedly going to be worried, no matter how well she managed to hide it. The techs in the command centre had informed her that she would be told if anything significant happened, but he knew that for Tess that would not be enough to keep her concerns at bay.  
>After all, no news was better than bad news…but <em>some<em> news was better than none.

She would at least want to know they were safe, not just that they hadn't called in a signal because of danger. She would always worry for her bots, no matter how safe or easy they claimed a mission was.

Sideswipe gave a nod and gestured for her to move closer, hopping down from the structure to kneel before his little human friends, "Ratchet sent an update about an hour ago, nothing much of any importance. Although, he _did_ sound a little frustrated…"  
>This piqued Tessa's curiosity, "Did you ask him why? Are the both okay?" she asked genuinely.<p>

In response, the silver bot gave a scoff and glanced over at the Wreckers and Bumblebee, who all seemed very amused with the topic; clearly they'd all received the same transmission. Roadbuster, the Wrecker with the green NASCAR alt mode, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees to address the little human on the ground, seeming rather amicable at present.

"Did ye request somethin' along the lines of e' 'moon-rock' now, human?" he enquired, his blatantly Scottish accent only intensifying his amusement.

In an almost blatant form of an answer, the mechanic's face flushed red across the bridge of her nose, and Sideswipe began to laugh immediately at the give-away. She could never hide anything from them, she was incapable of disguising signs of her emotions and thoughts, even from the very first time they'd known her. Even from the very beginning she'd been easy to read, even with the facial expressions that Cybertronians _weren't_ familiar with.

"I…_might_ have asked Optimus to bring me one back…" she muttered dejectedly, an embarrassed half-smile on her features.

To her surprise, all three of the formidable Wreckers began to explode with laughter, the red one, Leadfoot even went so far as to thump a fist against his knee as they hollered in amusement. She felt insanely embarrassed, but internally she also felt a little bit glad that this was seemingly a slight show of acceptance; they found what she'd done _amusing_…

"T'think there'd be a day when a Prime was ordered around t'get a chunk a' _rock_ for an organic!" the red Chevy laughed, looking down at her, "We knew y'were involved with Prime, but _you've_ got him belted like a Sparkling with an overgrade!"

"Overgrade…?" Tess asked confusedly, turning to Sideswipe in the hopes of an elaboration. He complied with an amused tone, clearly the humour in the situation was infectious.

"Cybertronian equivalent to a 'hangover' like the time you walked in on all of us on base that time; after that…celebration, what was it called…?"  
>"Stag party." Epps interrupted with a grin, "A celebration for a guy before he gets married, you guys went <em>nuts<em> on that High-Grade stuff…"

"Yeah, that." Sideswipe laughed, shifting awkwardly on his wheels with an almost sheepish expression, "Anyway, an overgrade is basically a Cybertronian hangover. Saying you've got Optimus 'belted like a Sparkling with an overgrade' is your equivalent of a human male being 'whipped' I believe…"

Epps went so far as to make a whipping sound and shoving Tess gently with a playful laugh. Joining in, she looked up at Sides, Bumblebee and the Wreckers with a slightly embarrassed expression. "So…you mean to tell me that Ratchet was getting frustrated…because Optimus stopped in the middle of their mission to pick me up a space rock?"

"Yup." Topspin, the blue Wrecker said simply, reclined comfortably on the framing of the Xanthium shuttle bay.

Shaking her head, Tess laughed at the thought, "Well I'll be damned…" she snickered, "I bet Ratchet's probably going to chew my ear off about it when he gets back…Cranky old stiff that he is."

Although she called the CMO a seemingly 'insulting' name, it was done so with an affectionate tone, and it was clear that despite his gruff nature and terrible bedside manner as a medic, that she was incredibly fond of him. He was more than just her friend, after all; he was her teacher as well…

She was drawn out of her amused revere as she heard the 'Jaws' theme start to play, and when she looked up she realized that it was Bumblebee doing so. It was Tessa's turn to burst out laughing, causing the Wreckers and Sideswipe to watch her with amused interest. With tears in her eyes from laughing so hard, she looked up and Bumblebee and pointed at him with a grin.

"Well play, Bee…_very_ well played."

"**Thank you, thank you very much.**" Came Elvis Presley's voice from the Scout, before being replaced with a line from the movie Shrek, "**Thank you very much, I'm here till Thursday!**"

The inventiveness that he always mashed together his snippets made Tess smile; the little Scout was nothing if not extremely entertaining. With a confidence that was building from the jovial atmosphere, she decided that it was time she tried to relate to the Wreckers as their friend; she did not want any soldiers of Optimus' to dislike or disapprove of her.

And maybe this was a good start…

Gesturing to Sideswipe, she got him to lift both she and Epps onto his shoulders, and then he made his way back onto the structure to where he was seated before they had arrived. At least she would be able to try and smooth over some connection with these newer Autobots while Optimus was 'off-planet' and conversing with the soldiers would be a fine way to do so. At the very least, she was trying to be constructive about it, diplomacy was something she inevitably would be required to learn.  
>She was <em>supposed<em> to be Lady Prime, after all…


	113. Morning Waits

**:|  
>Still having so much trouble writing, Tessa doesn't want to work with me at the moment. BUT I AM TRYING ;A;<br>This chapter is short, but it's been such a fight to even try and get this far. But I wanted to get this out for you guys.  
>I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU, I PROMISE! It's just been really hard to write this story. I think once I get past all this 'behind the scenes' stuff and get to the action scenes I really want to write, it will get easier.<strong>

**I am not ever going to DISCONTINUE this story, because we are so close to the finale that I can almost taste it. Just bear with me till then.**

**One more thing… To the reviewer 'Guest' who wrote this review: "**_**If you ask me in kinda pissed she started a new story and hasn't touched Tessa and Optimus in months. I've been checking in daily and then to see a new story? Idk... I guess im just really disappointed. Not to say she's not a bad writer. I just don't want her to forget that people still read her other stories.**_**"**

…**I understand why you feel that way, but my new Walking Dead story is the reason I've gotten THIS chapter of Primary Mechanisms out at all. **

**I've had such horrible Writer's Block that I fell out of my groove. Having something inspire me to write again gave me drive to push through and finish this chapter.**

**Please don't be pissed, I understand, but I am trying so hard to fight this block for ALL of my readers. If you guys weren't reading, I'd have no reason to keep writing and I am thankful for that every day.**

**You're the reason I'm still trying. So thank you all :)**

Tessa's heart was thumping insatiably within her chest as she watched the Xanthium tearing through Earth airspace, her smile uncontainable when the Cybertronian craft finally got close enough to land.

Lining the ship up with the docking bay, the Wreckers shouted orders at one another as they performed their task of stabilising the ship and reattaching it to its massive, immeasurably powerful hydraulic holding set. Eventually the engine cut the power and the excessive wind from the force finally died down.

The mechanic held her breath as she watched a section of the ship reveal the vacuum sealed door-perimeter, the lighting from inside the ship providing an outline of the departed Autobots but blotting out the details.  
>They were safe home, finally.<p>

And what was even better news, was that they had apparently found Sentinel; they'd sent a report to N.E.S.T as soon as they'd located him, and informed the base that they would be bringing him back in the hopes of using the Matrix to revive him. Tess was also anxiously excited because Ratchet had sent a personal message to Sideswipe and Bumblebee to let the human mechanic know that he'd found something that would be of great use to their Cybertronian 'medical' practices.

It was wonderful to be hearing good news, but she was happier to finally have them home, regardless of what they found.

When Optimus exited the ship, it was evident that he was issuing orders to his soldiers via the Com-Link, because Sideswipe and Bumblebee rushed forward to meet him before passing Optimus completely and moving to aid Ratchet. In their grasp was a dormant, Cybertronian body that was quite possible taller than her mate himself.  
>This was Sentinel Prime…<p>

She recognised the paint and the build from the vast pool of memories she had shared with Optimus the first time that the Sparkbond had completed itself. She instantly felt a sensation of happiness and empathetic relief when she realised that Optimus had just brought his greatest mentor, his _father figure_ for all intents and purposes. He had to be feeling so much joy and gratitude for having found him, Tess just prayed that the Matrix would revive him as it once had for Prime. She knew how much it hurt someone to lose the ones they cared, she'd felt it herself when she'd lost her grandparents…and then again when she'd lost Optimus…

Sentinel's body was transported into the trailer of a large carrier truck, ready to be moved to base so that they could make the preparations to bring him back online. Only once the older Prime was set and ready to go, did Tess finally approach her bots.

"Optimus!" she called, jogging towards him with a massive grin on her face, "I'm so glad you're both safe!"  
>"Tessa" she heard him say softly, sounding tired but more relieved than anything else. He knelt down and placed a hand on the ground for her to climb aboard, which she did with well-practiced ease. He lifted her gently to his face and pressed her against the bridge of his nose, revelling in the feeling of her tiny hands that touched fondly at the metal there. "I missed you."<br>"You found Sentinel…" she smiled, unable to hide her joy for him, hoping and praying that it was a good thing. Would Ratchet be able to repair him and bring him back? Would they use that same alien 'Matrix' on him the way they had for Optimus? "Is he going to be alright?"

She motioned to the N.E.S.T transport vehicle that they had lay the older Prime into before Optimus had gone to see her.  
>The Autobot leader gave a heavy exhale and made his way slowly over to where the dirt road of the NASA base was waiting for them. "I hope so. There are preparations we need to make, but with some luck…the Matrix will revive him."<p>

She sighed through her nose and gave him an optimistic smile that easily reached her eyes, "I hope so too."

Tessa tried to comfort him by tracing her fingers over the metal of his hand, reassuring in her gesture. He looked down at her with an expression that was somewhere in between relief and stress, she knew this expression so well. The mission had gone well, they'd gone to the moon and arrived back safely with a successful objective, but all it ever did was give him more to worry about…he always had some greater task on his mind that he could never remove himself from completely, no matter how much distraction Tessa herself could provide.

She had a sudden fleeting notion of what they would do if this war ever _ended_…maybe she'd talk him into retiring, getting a property somewhere in the country where they would be visited by her family, watching Lucy and Thomas grow up. Maybe she'd even talk him into getting a dog, or they'd have the Autobots visit them and spend their days enjoying a relaxed freedom instead of always having to swallow the bitter pill of watching their friends die all the time.

_One day_, she promised them silently, _this war can't last forever…_

"Tessa." Came Ratchet's gruff, professional voice, the upgraded green and white Hummer-bot breaking her from her thoughts, "I have something I want to show you, we managed to retrieve some things that will be invaluable to our work, come."

She looked up at Optimus with a smile, and he nodded and affirmation before placing her into Ratchet's awaiting hand so that she could go with him. "Do not be long," he said to his CMO, "there are preparations that we need to make back at headquarters."  
>"Of course, Prime." Ratchet answered respectfully as Tessa was passed from one bot to the other. The little human looked up at Prime with a smile, her eyes assuring in their gaze.<p>

"Go be with Sentinel, Chief." She said gently, "I'll be there soon. I love you."  
>Optimus touched a finger to the top of her head fondly and turned the metal plates of his face up into a smile. "And I love you. I have missed you."<p>

Ratchet gave an ungraceful huff and made a motion similar to a human rolling their eyes. The cranky CMO's terrible bedside manner always made Tess laugh and she shook her head at his gruff attitude before giving Optimus a small wave and looking up at her new carrier.

"You're a cranky old bastard, you know that?" she scoffed, standing up in his hand and crossing her arms, "An unsubtle, rude, cranky, old bastard."

Tess watched as the plates on his face warped into a semblance of a smirk, only subtle and very easy to miss; only a few sections of the metal moved at all but she knew him well. He was a dear friend, even if he _was_ a crank.

"I thought you wanted in on this discovery." Ratchet said nonchalantly, an almost mocking tone in his voice. "When I sent the message out to base that there was something that would help us, I wasn't lying."

The human shot him a trepid look, now genuinely curious about what it was they had found; and what about it Ratchet had seemed to keep her in mind for. "What did you find?"

The CMO was walking with her towards the Xanthium, where Sideswipe and Bumblebee were helping the Wreckers to unload masses of large parts off of the ship, Tessa recognised a few from her studies under Ratchet, and her heart rose excitedly in suspicion.

"Ratchet…is that…?"

The green and white Hummer looked down at her and before nodding and motioning to the things being collected from the ship.

"Yes. The Arc possessed a fully equipped and stocked medical unit. We have brought back everything we could carry…this will help us immensely, Tessa. We will be capable of so much more, it may just keep our soldiers alive from injuries that we would have otherwise been unable to fully treat."  
>"Like what?"<p>

"Like potentially fatal wounds. With a better stock of equipment I can work at my full capacity, there was even a Spark Incubator; I have not seen one stocked and equipped to capacity in centuries."

Tessa found herself actually genuinely amused by the way Ratchet was talking, he was actually eager…he sounded _excited_, and to see the CMO being anything but serious, mocking or grumpy was a feat in and of itself. "What the heck is a Spark Incubator? Do you guys build kids with it or something?"

He shook his head as they moved over to the stockpile of equipment, the Hummer-bot sifting gently through the pieces and parts with one hand before lowering her on top of one of the larger structures so that she would be able to hear him while he talked. Undeniably, he was more than a little eager to get his hands on the equipment and assess its functioning capacity, to see how soon he could get it all up and running.

"Not quite," he responded to her question, inspecting a metal cylinder used for containing Energon samples, "A Spark Incubator is something we used for…I suppose you could call it a 'coma' state, but for the Spark alone. It is used in only the worst possible situation of war…"

She fell silent for a few seconds before she crouched down with her hands on her knees, chin rested atop them. She gathered from the sound of his voice, that it was a very dark time when the 'Incubator' would be used, and if it was for 'the Spark alone' as Ratchet had said, she had a suspicion. But she wanted to confirm, if she was acting as the CMO's right hand medical apprentice…she wanted to know she was right. "What situation, Ratchet? …What is it used for…?"

He stopped for a moment, giving a deep exhale of air before he put down the part in his hand and looked at her seriously, his optics dim with the sternness.

"We use them as a life support when a Cybertronian's body is destroyed."

"You mean…when they're dead? You can bring Cybertronians back from the dead?!"

"No, Tessa. Nothing like that. Primus I forget how little you know sometimes."

The woman scoffed and shot him a miffed expression, "I'll pretend that wasn't an insult, you god damn scrooge." She said with a somewhat sharper tone.

Occasionally Ratchet seemed to forget that she was human, that she was not programmed with the knowledge of a Cybertronian medic. She had been his student for so long that he'd simply started seeing her as one of their own, and with her being a Prime by name and title, it only gave more reason to think of her as their own. Tessa was human by birth, but to them she was Cybertronian by design.

"My apologies, Tess." He corrected himself, lowering his head apologetically, "But no, we do not bring the dead back online. We are incapable of doing so. When a Cybertronian's _body_ fails, but the Spark is unharmed, we are able to extract it and place it in cryogenic stasis lock, separate from the body."  
>Tess looked at him with a worried expression, almost sad as she considered the possibility, "You mean…you just keep it there…?"<p>

"Until a new body is built, yes. As I told you, Tessa; this process is rarely performed. Very few medi-bots were capable of performing the task safely, let alone having the time to rebuild a body."

His processor delved back deep into the memory banks of his software, recalling with perfect recollection the instances in which he had seen medics who were not skilled enough, lose so many soldiers on the field due to incapability. Several times he had witnessed a soldier's life flicker away because the medic was not fast enough, not trained enough, to perform the body-to-incubator transfer correctly. Ratchet felt his own Spark sink a little in the memory of one of their comrades of whom they had lost since coming to Earth…one that Tessa had not personally met, for he had been lost in Mission City.  
>"If we had found this several years ago…" he said slowly, quietly, "…I would have been able to save Jazz."<p>

Tessa's eyes widened and her ears pricked at the name. She'd asked Optimus about him when they'd first truly become friends, when he had explained to her what exactly had occurred in Mission City. He'd revealed the truth behind the lie the media had told about a military training exercise getting out of hand, about how Megatron had been the one behind it.

"Jazz…? He was Optimus' second in command, wasn't he?" she asked gently, suddenly realizing that it had not just been Optimus who had lost him.

Each of the Autobots had lost a friend that day, which was clear from Ratchet's rather contemplative expression as he nodded in response to her question. "He was. A very brave and loyal soldier, I think he'd like you."

The mechanic felt her heart swell a little at the mention. It always made her feel welcome to think that the Autobots accepted her, particularly as their Prime's lady considering that she herself was not of their people.

They'd come so far since that first meeting, where she had freaked out, thrown Skittles, sworn and then eventually passed out. She stopped for a moment, wondering just how things might have been if she'd been able to meet Jazz. Would there have been any way for her to help?

In a conversation she'd one had with Optimus about the saboteur, he had mentioned to her that Jazz's remains were kept with N.E.S.T officials so as to keep his parts from falling into unsuspecting or untoward hands. Nobody outside of their military arm could know about him, and in a lot of ways she thought it to be quite sad. From what she'd been told, Jazz had died a hero, someone who'd fought Megatron right up to his final second…that sort of bravery was something most people never possessed in their life.

"I wish I could've met him," Tess said quietly to Ratchet, shooting him a sympathetic, somewhat sorry smile, "…but we've got all this Med-Bay stuff now…We're not going to let that happen again; Ratch, we can _prevent_ something like that. I won't let us lose anyone else."  
>Ratchet gave a sardonic scoff, back to his old gruff self as the walls reformed around him after his lapse into weaker, sadder memories. "You, what could you do that I couldn't, little human."<br>Although to someone else, the medical officer's tone might have seemed harsh, somewhat cruel and perhaps a little bit uncalled for. However Tess had been around him often enough to read him well, she had been under his tutelage and guide for quite a few years now, and his _friend_ for a better part of those years more recent.

"Look at me, you cranky ass." She barked, a smile played on her features, "We've got the medical supplies. I'm not going to _lose_ anyone else."

"Is that an order, Lady Prime?" he teased smarmily, watching her cross her arms and shoot him a foul look for using the term he knew perfectly _well_ that she didn't like being addressed by.

"Doc…" she huffed, "You're damn _right_ it is."

**Spark Incubator…?**

**Wonder if there's going to be any Topkicks that find that useful? ;) hehehehe**


	114. Vagabond

**SO MANY REASONS THAT THIS IS LATE.**

**I have crappy internet at the moment, I have Writer's Block, I'm trying to search for a new job most hours of the day, and I just generally keep brainfarting when it comes to writing stuff down. **_**IALSOBLAMEMASSEFFECT2.**_****

**Love you all, we're getting there slowly but surely!**

**Also many thanks to my girl Montana, who helped me brainstorm the second half of this chapter. Thank you so much, you darling creature, you!**

**Missed you guys a million bunches, hope y'all haven't totally given up on me; I'm tryyyyyiiiinnngggg ;_;**

**ENJOY!**

"Wow…"  
>"Mm-hm."<br>"No seriously…_wow_."  
>Tessa's jaw hung open at the sight of so much readily available Cybertronian medical equipment.<p>

Ratchet had wasted absolutely no time in the preparations of the Med-Bay. Optimus was busy with both a debriefing from Colonel Lennox, and readying the process of attempting to revive Sentinel Prime. The aforementioned Prime elder was currently rested inside the medical bay where the little mechanic and the CMO were reviewing the equipment that had been found on the Arc. According to Ratchet, much of the collection would be imperatively invaluable to them during the war.  
>"So, is there any way to use this stuff to actually <em>revive<em> Sentinel, Ratchet?"

The green and white Hummer-bot turned to where the Prime was rested on one of the medical gurneys, optics vacant and completely dimmed. As Tess made her way closer to where Ratchet stood and he lifted her in his hand, she found herself comparing the similarities to when Optimus had lain on the concrete landing of the New Jersey HQ… his own optics having borne the same empty, lifeless voidness. No doubt Optimus felt the same pain to see Sentinel this way, as she had to see Optimus lying lifeless on the tarmac at base.

"No," Ratchet said clinically, responding to her earlier question as he placed her on the giant metal gurney beside Sentinel's shoulder, "None of the equipment we have can revive a medically dormant Spark. Sentinel locked himself away inside the crash vault of the Arc, with several space bridge pillars and as such, his Energon levels lowered beyond function. Something of a 'coma' I suppose."  
>"Space bridge pillars? Tess questioned, eying him quizzically, "Some kind of…structure?"<p>

Ratchet nodded, picking up some wires and attaching them to several small ports in the vacant Prime's helm. A whine of electricity hummed in the air for but a split second before the CMO answered her. "They _are_, in a way…but not as you would think it. Sentinel is the only one who knows the specifics of the science; he was the one who created it. I doubt it's something I could explain, let alone for you to understand."

The mechanic scoffed and shot him a look as she sat down on the side of the gurney with her legs dangling almost comically over the side, like an ant reclining on a beach chair. "Nice, Doc. Calling me stupid, now?" she teased.

Ratchet, with his terrible bedside manner and poor people skills, simply shrugged vaguely at her. "Even most Cybertronians wouldn't understand the science either, Tess."

"Hm." She mumbled thoughtfully, growing quite as she began to simply watch with interest, curious as to the process.

Tessa had been studying under Ratchet for a good few years, and her grasp of Cybertronian medicine had grown significantly. Although there were many of the more complicated procedures that she would not be able accomplish on her own due to the requirement of removing parts and pieces that were bigger and heavier than herself, the CMO had no doubt that she was more than able to perform the tasks required of a Cybertronian medic.

Sure she'd need cranes for the _parts_…but her knowledge was there.

Watching as the Hummer-bot uploaded a progress bar onto one of his holoscreens, Tess noticed that there were flashes of things on the screen that she recognised. Images of events and people throughout history, diagrams and formulas that she'd seen once or twice in high school.

Confused, she leaned forward on the gurney to get a better look at the almost epileptic flashing of content. "Ratchet, what exactly _is_ all that?" she asked curiously, gesturing to the screen that the progress bar was loading on.

Absently, the CMO lifted his head from the fiddly task he was performing on the wiring under Sentinel's helm to take note of what she was asking about. Spotting her hand pointed at the progressing screen, he returned to his work and spoke as he continued.

"A data transfer." He replied, his speech clinical and textbook like, "Installing pieces of history and sciences, languages, mathematics…all of the basic cultural knowledge of your people, political factors that will ping his processors in a millisecond when he wakes."

"Why? Couldn't he just do that when he wakes up? I mean, isn't that what _you_ guys did when you came here?"

Ratchet nodded distractedly, his optics focusing on scanning the Prime's frame for any breaches or faults, "Under normal circumstances, yes. Optimus has reminded me, however, of the power of a Prime's reflexes. Sentinel was his mentor, he is as much a warrior as Optimus is. When he is revived, he won't know where he is, or who holds him there. There's a chance he will lash out, and as such we need to have as much preparation as possible."  
>Tess was quiet for a minute, her expression thoughtful as she processed the information. It made sense, but there was something she didn't quite understand, "Why can't you just programme the information about all of you being here? Like…memories? Optimus did that with me, showed me his past and everything. Couldn't you do something like that for Sentinel so he doesn't attack anybody?"<p>

Ratchet moved away from the body of the Prime and approached Tess, holding his hand out so that she could climb aboard, "No. Cybertronians _can_ shared memories and data, Tessa, but both processors must be online to do so. Otherwise it is considered an invasion of data, and our firewalls will automatically engage; no information would get through. But s_tandard_, factual data differs. Our processors filter information, no different to a human browsing the world wide web; if a malicious virus is among it, it is filtered out immediately. To share a Cybertronian's _memories_ are a particular frequency, and classed a virus unless the firewall is manually deactivated."  
>"Hm…" she murmured, nodding thoughtfully with her thumb to her chin, "Makes sense, I guess. How's Chief been since he got back? I haven't really had much of a chance to see him since we got back to base; I know this whole thing has put a lot on his mind."<p>

Ratchet gave a heavy nod as he pressed a few buttons on the screen, checking the efficiency of the download into Sentinel's processor before speaking again. "It has. But Prime is well equipped, you know this better than any of us."  
>Tess fidgeted a little and shrugged her shoulders for a lack of anything better to respond with. Yes, she knew that he was the most adept leader the Autobots could have…but she also knew how deeply things affected him. For all his battle experience, for all his skills and knowledge of this horrible war they'd fought for so long, he was still very much a peaceful and <em>gentle<em> soul. Optimus Prime did not choose a violent path if there was any other way, he didn't relish the 'spoils of war' or the danger he was forced to put his soldiers in.

She saw glimpses of his nightmares whenever they Sparkbonded, Tess had been there for the days he felt so dark and twisted that he would shut himself in their loft and remain there all day working, not allowing her in until he was composed enough to pretend everything was alright. The rest of his soldiers did not see the break-downs he allowed himself in private whenever they lost people, they didn't _know_ that he used firewalls in his sleep to prevent from thrashing while in stasis.

Simply put, Tessa _knew_ how well 'equipped' he was to be leader…but she also knew the _consequences_ of it.

"I wish this war would just _end_ already…" she sighed distantly, pressing a hand to her forehead in frustration, "You know that if this all finally ends, I'm taking Optimus away from you right?"

She noticed the way Ratchet's lip plating quirked at the side into a slight smile, his optics sliding across to view her with mocking surprise. "Is that so?"

Solemnly and with an over-the-top serious tone, Tessa nodded in response. Her arms folded and a playful smirk tweaked at the edge of her mouth, she greatly enjoyed her conversations with Ratchet; mostly because he was not someone who would beat around the bush or try to 'be nice' about things. Sometimes it was _good_ to have a friend with zero tact, because he was not afraid to shut her down when she was being foolish, or if she worried too much he was the first to reprimand her and make her see straight.

"Yep," she chortled, "I'm gonna talk him into retiring and getting a dog, then we'll go live out in the country and leave the political crap to people like Mearing. Don't you think the Autobots deserve some rest once this bullshit is over? You wouldn't _leave_ Earth or anything, would you?"

The CMO scoffed patronizingly, as though he had just been asked a stupid question by a child, "Where would you suggest we leave _to_? We have been here many years, Tess. We have developed ties here, _friendships_; we are about to leave those behind. We have been on Earth long enough, it's as fine as any to make our home."

"Good to know, Doc."

Ratchet seemed about to say something, but he stopped midway and placed his free hand against the spot on the side of his head that activated his Com-Link. He fell into silence and Tess politely didn't speak, knowing from experience that he was communicating silently with another of the Autobots. As expected, when he lowered his hand he looked down at her before gesturing his head towards Sentinel.

"Optimus is on his way out of debrief to come and make some final preparations for Sentinel. They'll be ready to try and revive him in a soon, and from Prime's tone…he will need you today."

Tess gave a nod and looked down at Sentinel's seemingly dormant and unresponsive form before a heavy sigh escaped her, "Ratchet?" she asked, looking up at her friend and mentor, "Can you take me to meet him, please?"

With a slight pause, the medic gave a nod and lowered his hand for her to step onto from the metal surface she stood on. With expertise that she'd developed over years of climbing Autobots, Tess situated herself in his hand and untied her hair before throwing it back up into its usual sloppy bun. It was getting so long, she was sincerely considering cutting it; something she didn't do _nearly_ often enough. It covered most of the length of her back, and was even longer when it was wet, letting the loose curls slack out of it.

As they approached the main hangar, Tessa spotted Optimus standing by one of the walkways that ran down either side of the hangar for soldiers and officials to be at eye level with the Autobots. He was discussing something with Lennox, and a small group of official looking men. She also spotted Mearing there as well, and upon seeing the Director, Tess decided that riding in on an Autobot like some sort of chariot queen might not be a fantastic way to impress the strict older blonde.

"Ratch, throw me down over here on the ledge, would you?" she asked quietly, looking up at him.

"I can aim for Prime, if you want to be 'thrown' so badly." He said casually, a nonchalant tone underlying his voice.

The little mechanic shot him a look, one eyebrow raised in a challenge, "Don't be a smart ass, Doc." She retorted, feeling him lower her gently to where the railing was; she was a little way from where the congregation of officials and Optimus were conversing. As she climbed over the railing, Tess steadied herself and thanked Ratchet in a low tone as she glanced down to where her Prime stood.

"You are welcome, Lady Prime." Ratchet said with a tone that she _knew_ was him mocking her. The look she fired in his direction this time was almost venomous; her lip quirked into a frown in the corner but her eyes showed reluctant amusement.

"Ass."

The CMO shrugged, not bothered by her antics. "I will be back with Sentinel soon, we need to prep him and move him to a clear area for Optimus to use the Matrix. See you later."

Tess waved at him and headed up the open corridor, clearing her throat and trying to ignore the dryness in the back of her mouth. She always felt nervous being around Mearing, like she was being judged at every point.

"Evening, Director." She said with a smile, trying to swallow the feeling of how awkward it felt to be initiating conversation with the professional. Tessa kept her hands at her sides and gave a nod as Mearing looked in her direction. To her surprise, the blonde gave a nod and returned to whatever it was she was viewing on her clipboard file.

"Evening, Miss Jackson," she said calmly, "How is the medical equipment that was brought back."

"Uh-" Tess paused for a moment, rather surprised that Mearing had chosen to freely continue a conversation, however she supposed it was relevant; the woman _was_ in charge of running things. She needed to know what went on under her roof. "It's amazing. We have equipment that'll help minimise a lot of casualties for the Autobots, even some extreme cases."

"Glad to hear that."

With that, the conversation seemed to be over, as Mearing did not look up from her clipboard, or attempt to say anything else. Tess resolved to leave it be, and instead made her way to the railing, leaning against it as she looked up at Optimus and listened to him discussing the mission with Lennox. She smiled as she noticed that his optics glanced to her once or twice as he spoke, and then in mid conversation he brought his hand up to the railing to hold a finger out to her. She placed a hand on the metal digit and smiled up at him before clearing her throat to join in the conversation.

"So what exactly happened up there?" she asked, "I mean…I know Ratchet managed to score all that med-bay equipment and you got Sentinel…but you guys didn't see any alien Martians or anything up there, did you?"

The mechanic could have sworn she heard Mearing groan under her breath, but she ignored it, instead favouring to watch Lennox smirk and shake his head. "Not from what I've heard…" he laughed.

Optimus shook his head gently, "Not to disappoint you, Tessa, but we saw no galaxy life aside from the Cybertronian variety. However I _did_ make time to bring back a rather prize-looking rock."

It took her a second to get the reference, and then her face split into a grin. "My moon rock," she laughed, "You seriously listened to me and got me a moon rock?"

Prime gave what some would describe as a shrug, it was just strange seeing it come from _him_. "My Lady Prime made a request, I delivered."

His tone was straight and nonchalant, as though it were the simplest thing in the world. However she noticed the way his optics shone just that fraction brighter than normal, the way the metal of his mouth seemed to tilt upward in the corner; he was teasing her. In retaliation, she slapped his finger lightly with a playful smirk, no strength behind the hit at all.

"Don't you start too, Chief. Ratchet already pulled the 'Oh royal Lady Prime' line; you guys just to annoy me." She muttered with a soft laugh, seeing Lennox smiling out the corner of her eye.

The Colonel turned away from them and Tess noticed that he seemed to draw the attention of the officials and Mearing, guiding them down the walkway and offering to show them the Medical Bay that had been stocked from the trip to the moon. Tess couldn't help but smile, reminding herself mentally that she would need to thank Lennox later for giving her some time with Optimus.

"Are you nearly ready to use the Matrix on Sentinel? Ratchet said there was still a little bit of preparation that you guys needed to do, he was uploading history and technical data into Sentinel just before."  
>"Yes," Optimus replied, watching Lennox lead the group of officials away. "Sentinel is a soldier, just as we are. When he wakes there is a good chance he will be confused, he will need as much data to draw on so that he does not feel endangered. From what Ratchet has told me, it will be roughly ten to thirty minutes before his frame is prepared to be revived, we have all had to donate Energon to provide enough for his systems to be rebooted. Otherwise the Matrix will be useless, being used on a shell with no life-force."<p>

She crossed her arms over the rail and leaned over it to watch him, "Sure, that makes sense. Kind of like giving blood for a surgery…right?" he nodded in response and Tess sighed heavily, the air in the base was tense; everyone was hanging out to see if this actually worked. An extra soldier, a _commander_ nonetheless, would be invaluable to their plight against the Decepticons. "How did the debriefing go?"

Prime looked out at the hangar as he spoke, and she noticed that in that moment, his tone sounded like that of an old man. It was like he was tired, feeling drained of energy; and it broke her heart to think that this war was wearing down on him so visibly. "As well as was to be expected," he said calmly as his gaze fell to her, "I spoke with Lennox in private earlier, and I have decided that when it is time to revive Sentinel…I wish for you to be behind the safety screen with Lennox."

Tess was genuinely surprised. "You…what? But Chief, I thought I was going to be on the walkway where you are. Wouldn't that be bette-?"

"Tessa." He said sternly, bending a little so that his eyes were directly in line with hers, "Sentinel is a soldier. If there is even the _slightest_ chance that he will awaken in a battle-ready mode, that he could harm you before he regains awareness…Tessa I will not _take_ that chance. There is only one of you, and I will not lose you."

She raised her hands, showing him that she surrendered, "Okay, alright. You know him better than I do, I trust you; I'll stay with Lennox." Then she placed her hands on her hips and took her stand as his dutiful little wife, "But there's only one _Optimus_, so you'd better be careful too. Got it?"

"Everything okay, you two?" came a voice from down the open walkway, and Tess turned to see Lennox approaching them.  
>Turning her body to rest her back on the walkway, she grinned at him, "Weren't you supposed to be taking the executioner and her minions to Ratchet's med-bay?" she laughed.<p>

Will gave a chuckle and reached over to ruffle her hair at the snide remark before he shrugged and gestured behind him with his thumb, "Yeah, but Ratchet's taking care of it. Mearing doesn't scare him. Mikaela's back from the Engineering sector, too; so she can help him with being our 'robot-to-human' bridge."

"I'd better be careful then, she might take my job!" Tess laughed, knowing full-well that Mikaela was one of the best human friends she'd made in a long time and the younger woman would never do anything of the sort. "So, what's the plan for-"

**BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

An alarm starting resounding through the base, the speakers crackling to life. It was the alarm signal from the guards on duty outside the building; the ones that were to deter people from approaching 'The Department of Health and Human Services'. The speakers yielded a voice of one of the communication walkies.

"_We got an Energon reading!_"

Tessa's back straightened and she shot upright like a rod, her breath stuck in her throat as she watched Optimus stiffen. His shoulders squared and his feet separated as he listened to the sound of the alarm.

"Soldiers! Set positions!" Lennox roared over the railing, "Stand by!"

The other available Autobots were taking similar stances as Prime was, Bumblebee even had his battle mask down over his face at the ready.  
>"<em>We've got aliens in the vehicle!<em>" the soldiers at the gated reported in.

"Tessa." Optimus barked suddenly, making her jump and turn to him to see his hand outstretched for her to climb on, "I will seal you in the loft, hurry!"

Under any other circumstances Tessa would have argued and told him to help the others, but they had all had training on this; even her and Mikaela. Optimus had informed her in private that in an emergency situation, she was his main concern.

As much as she hated the thought of being put ahead of anyone else, he clarified that as 'Lady Prime' she would be a target, a bargaining chip to be used against him. She understood, and had agreed to simply do as he said in the case of a Decepticon strike. Her heart plummeted…was that what this was?

Suddenly what sounded like a yelling, screaming came over the radio. The soldiers at the gates had walkie-talkie communication that normally had to be pressed to be used, but when an Energon alarm was tripped, the lines of communication were opened to the main speakers, that way in an emergency the soldiers and staff inside the building would be notified immediately of any danger.

"_You move, you're dead! Out! Out!_"

Tess listened over the sound of the alarms, her expression one of confusion as she turned to Optimus, "People?! Optimus, they're talking to people?!"

"_Got aliens in the vehicle! Freeze! Get out!_"

It did not seem to fit the idea of having a conversation with a Decepticon. Surely a Cybertronian enemy would have knocked into the building by now…made some form of NOISE. Optimus seemed confused as well, having actually paused in his step to listen to the almost angry yelling in the background on the speakers.

"_Are you-?_" **CRASH**. A resounding thump was heard and the speakers squealed. There was a scuffle going on outside, "_Are you kidding me?!_"

Tessa's jaw dropped, it couldn't be. "Chief, is that-?"

Another scuffle on the com made the speakers screech again, making a majority of the people cover their ears for a brief moment before the sound of heavy breathing and the grunts of a fight filled their ears.

"_I got him. Go!_" one of the guards yelled, and in a second the alarm stopped. Obviously the soldiers were sending someone to get a superior, someone to deal with whatever situation was outside. Suddenly…

"_Bee! Is Bee in there?!_"

Bumblebee's helmet lifted and he made a confused, sharp chirping sound in distress. Tessa's jaw droped in disbelief, turning to Optimus with a shrill squeal.

"It is! Optimus, that's _Sam_!"

Without any form of confirmation or awaiting any orders, Bumblebee had transformed and was skidding out of the building, the ground smoking from his tyres. Tessa felt the mild terror die down, her heart pounding in her throat.

It wasn't a Decepticon attack…it was _Sam_.


	115. Trigger

**No excuse other than terrible Writer's Block that WILL NOT LEAVE ME ALOOOOONE! ;_;**

**Anyway, this chapter fought me EVERY. WORD. OF. THE. WAY.  
>But I swore I would get one out to you all this weekend, and I am delivering! All of my love to you all!<strong>

**ENJOY x**

Lennox had almost immediately picked up from where he was to go and meet Sam, who would be going through gate security. In the meantime, he sent some of his Operation Control team to go and speak to Mearing, trying to keep her occupied in his stead until he could at least allow Sam into the building. He saw no problem with letting Sam into base, after all he had known the Autobots longer than any of the rest of them.

Ratchet and Ironhide were instructed back to vehicular mode due to having so many humans running around beneath their feet to make the final preps for Sentinel's (_hopeful_) revive, they would change back just before the process would be initiated. Optimus was seemingly getting a little bit more on edge as the minutes went on, but it was only little things that were noticeable.

He couldn't seem to stand in one place for very long, and Tess noticed that every now and again he would vacantly lift a hand and tap his chest with a finger; almost as though he didn't even realise he was doing so. She knew that there was a small chamber within his chest plating, right beneath his Spark, where the Matrix of Leadership was kept within. Tess had seen the Matrix only a few times whilst in the privacy of their loft where they retired most nights, but the only way she could ever think of it was the device that had brought Optimus back to her after his death.

Hopefully it could do the same for Sentinel now.

She knew there was a hope in the air that Optimus was very much trying not to cling to, although he would never admit it aloud she knew that he was praying with every fibre of his being that this would work; that he could reawaken and save his mentor. Tess couldn't even imagine how that would feel, if it had been _her_ father.

The speakers over the base came to life as someone in the Control Centre announced a preparation warning, which nobody really looked up at, but everyone seemed to take note of the announcement.

"_All N.E.S.T officials clear the floor, we have 10 minutes until attempted contact._"

A large group of soldiers were pushing massive metal trolleys, each loaded up with a large case bearing the N.E.S.T seal, these were, she assumed, the special 'bridge' pillars that Ratchet had mentioned to her earlier. They were apparently something 'beyond her comprehension' according to Ratchet. The mechanic couldn't help but smile to herself, recalling the CMO's oblivious and unintentional insult, he was a genius medic, but possessed such terrible social skills; it was a lethal (_and sometimes hilarious_) combination.

"I hope this works, Chief." Tess said quietly, leaning on the railing of the walkway, "I really, really do."

The Prime turned to her at the sound of her voice, and hearing the tone she used actually gave him a sense of comfort; she was hoping for him. It was something of a reassurance that he was not alone in his hopes for this success, both she and all of his soldiers were praying for a victory this day.

Optimus gave a nod and the corner of his mouth tipped into a smile, "I am grateful for the support, Tessa. Thank you."

She nodded back at him and gave a small smile before turning her gaze to watch the activity around them. The mechanic had already been informed to keep out of the way while the preparations were made, she would not be much help in this situation given that the soldiers already had their assigned jobs and places with the task; and she was not about to try stepping on people's toes.

Lennox was re-entering the main hangar of the base, tailed by Sam and a very pretty young woman with blonde hair who Tess had never seen before. Optimus had told her that Sam had a new 'mate' so she assumed that this must be her. The Prime and Sam had only spoken very little since the Autobots had been moved to the new N.E.S.T base, although apparently the young man had moved to DC shortly after finishing college.

Although admittedly she knew Sam was a good _person_, Tess still felt a little uneasy about the fact that the boy seemed too tumultuous with his decisions. She recalled a time not too many years ago when he had been intent of going to college and did not want to help the Autobots, all of whom would have done anything if their friend asked it of them.

Then again, she supposed…it had been a long time since Sam's wish to be a 'normal' teenager, he'd had much time to grow on his own and it was not her place to judge.

Noticing the way the young man acknowledged Ironhide and Ratchet as he walked past suddenly made her feel a little guilty; he'd been a young and scared kid back then, and from what she could gather of him being here now, he was trying to step up to the plate.

As she watched Lennox, Sam and the young woman enter the Operational Control Centre, Tess heard Optimus shift on his feet, looking to the medical bay with a concentrated and contemplative expression.

"We are nearly ready," he said finally as he turned to her, "you should leave the area. Go to with Lennox, he will take you to the safest place you will be able to see everything."

His tone was somewhat clipped, not angry but this was his 'Prime' voice, the tone with which he issued orders and instructions. Understanding the seriousness of his voice, Tess nodded obediently.

"Okay," she replied firmly, feeling the nerves and worry rise in her chest; oh how she _hoped_ this would work, "Good luck, Chief."

The mechanic moved away from the walkway and headed to the top floor of Operations, glancing back every so often to see the work that was going on with bringing out Sentinel's large metal gurney. She spotted Lennox over by the glass panelled windows talking to Mearing, Sam and the blonde woman. From this distance, Tess could see that she was, in fact, quite pretty. Gorgeous, in fact, but she found it actually quite endearing to see that the woman was actually taller than Sam. She smiled at the realisation.

They appeared to be talking quite intently, and Lennox help out a small collection of papers as though trying to explain something. Mearing seemed to take these with haste but she did not even look at them, instead she seemed to be irritated about something, that crease in her brow was something that Tess knew well from personal interactions with the woman. Deciding to keep out of it, she quietly waiting at the entrance to Operations, she would much rather be waiting out of the way than risk being the one Mearing was chewing out; she didn't envy Lennox nor Sam one little _bit_ right now.

She occupied herself with looking out the window and watching as Sentinel was moved with the large motorized gurney, his body looking lifeless and blank. It very much reminded her of seeing Optimus in the same way, and even now the memory still stung in her chest. Optimus was issuing what appeared to be commands to the N.E.S.T operatives, which she suspected to be mostly advice about staying out of the way.

It wasn't until she saw that the floor was cleared of humans and the Autobots resuming bipedal form that Lennox finally approached her, with Mearing located at his side with a somewhat tired expression.

In a way, Tess often felt as a loss with her honest opinion of the Director. She was certainly a strict and incredibly blunt woman, but from what the mechanic had seen, heard and witnessed of her Mearing was not a bad _person_. It was clear that she took her job seriously and that she would do whatever was necessary to ensure that the job was done properly, and that the soldiers were in as minimal danger as possible. She was certainly not _unreasonable_ when it came to sensible intellect, just incredibly strict in her rules and regulations.  
>Kind of like a strict parent… the child would hate them for the boundaries but appreciate them later when they understood why the rules were in place.<p>

It was easier to think of Mearing as _human_ that way, rather than just a 'Galloway the Second' incarnated.

"We ready?" Lennox asked with a heavy exhale, gesturing for Tess to follow him to the safe-glass 'box' that was located exactly opposite to where Optimus would be performing the procedure of the Matrix revival, "Let's go."

It wasn't far from where they had been in Operations, so the walk was short; but Mearing seemed to want some information from the two of them. "Has this procedure has been done before?" she asked, as the three of them entered the small box of a room, closing the door behind them.

The Colonel looked at Tessa briefly before she decided to explain, leaning against the desk tensely as she watched a congregation of armed soldiers starting to line up either side of Sentinel,

"Sort of…" Tess explained, noticing the way Mearing seemed to be actually quite intrigued by the concept of the dormant Transformer, "I mean, you probably read the reports already…but a few years ago, Optimus was literally 'killed' in battle. Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, got him through the Spark – his heart – and it killed him. Sam used the Matrix and brought him back."

The Director gave a thoughtful, understanding nod as she watched the setting below them on the ground, "So it brings them back to life." She said matter-of-factly, "So this Autobot is dead?"

As Tess pushed herself up off the edge of the desk and stood beside Mearing, Lennox gave a small sigh that sounding more contemplative than bothered, like he was trying to find the right way to explain it. He took on a calm, somewhat friendly tone as he relayed his knowledge to the Director, and Tess couldn't help but feel that maybe he was glad for the chance to show Mearing that he really _did_ know what he was talking about.

"Sentinel Prime," he started, crossing his arms and watching as the gurney was lifted to an almost upright position to provide easier access for Optimus, "these things run on Energon and he's out of it."

Tess noticed Mearing's left hand was playing with one of the buttons on her blazer, her expression not wearing the usual hardened look that she normally had.

"He's in a…sort of a _sleep_ mode."

"Let us begin." Optimus rumbled suddenly, his tone sounding calm but a little apprehensive over the task he was about to perform.

Tessa's eyes directed to the Prime intently, her stomach sitting in her throat as she watched the scene unfolding. _Please, please, please let this work…_

The Autobot leader opened the plates of his chest, summoning the Matrix to the surface and withdrawing the historical device with the utmost care. He moved the object between his hands as it floated, defying the very laws of nature's gravity; the Matrix making an almost ethereal chirping hum.

"That's the great Matrix of Leadership…" Lennox breathed, and as Tess turned to look at him she noticed the widened awe in Mearing's eyes, her jaw slack in wonder at what she was seeing. No matter how strict or 'hardened' her character may have been, she was still about to witness what could classify as miraculous. She was turning her face toward the Colonel as he spoke, but she could not tear her eyes away from the scene in front of her, "He holds the only thing in the universe that can repower a Transformer's Spark."

Nearly every single person in the presence of the scene was in complete silence, barely even breathing as they watched on.

"Sentinel Prime…" Optimus murmured gently, "We bid you return."

He then pressed the Matrix against his mentor's chest and the glow engulfed the chassis of the old bot, sparks of electricity (_and what Tessa guessed to be Spark energy_) chittered and shone like lightning; Sentinel's body seizing up under the energy that was evidently coursing through him. A voice she only knew from Optimus' memories was growling in what felt like pain, but in the span of only seconds, it changed into the sound of one preparing for a fight as his head bent a little to view the Cybertronian standing before him. With what was clearly centuries of battle-ready experience, Sentinel lunged at the younger Prime; his full body weight knocking Optimus to the ground as a sword from drawn from his person.  
>Tessa screamed and slammed her hands against the glass helplessly in horror, "<em>OPTIMUS<em>!"

"Hold your fire!" Lennox shouted as he pressed a hand to his headset so that the announcement was clear, backing out of the booth to make for the platforms.

Tessa made brief eye contact with Mearing before tearing out after Lennox, her skin feeling like ice and her chest tight with fear. As she rounded out of Communications and into the main hanger, she could hear Optimus, still trying to reason even though he was on the ground with a blade pressed to his temple.  
>"Sentinel! Stop, it is I-" the blade pressed him back into the ground as he tried to raise his head in the struggle, "-Optimus <em>Prime-<em>" He reached up on of his arms to catch Sentinel's holding firm as he braced the older leader to try and let understanding sink in. "It is alright, you are safe…"

Tessa clutched the railing like a lifeline in front of her as the other Autobots gathered behind the hydraulic gurney, noticing that Ironhide had a hand raised to stop them from proceeding too close. As Optimus' right-hand man, 'Hide knew that the Prime would not want the other leader crowded in a situation like this. As a soldier, it would make him feel threatened.

Instead, Ratchet offered his voice of reason, a gentle and almost medical tone to his voice "There's nothing to fear."

"We are here," Optimus assured him, Tessa felt her heart rate slowing a little as Sentinel stood upright, backing away from her Sparkmate, "you are _home_, Sentinel…"

Lennox backed up the soldiers behind him and put a hand on Tessa's shoulders, guiding her back a little just as Mearing made her way to the bridge they were standing on. Sentinel's face was so much more expressive than many of the Autobots, easily readable in an almost human manner. He looked incredibly confused, dazed and terribly uncomfortable; which would be understandable for one who had only just woken up after so long in dormancy. Ratchet's history information and sciences were billowing into his databanks; charts, graphs and imagery that he had never seen before and was trying to make sense of.

There was plenty about the small creatures around them, but nothing about… "The war? The war!" he exclaimed worriedly, looking around the base as if to find the answers he sought.

It was Optimus who stepped in to explain, sounding magnanimous even though he lay on the ground, "The war was lost, Cybertron is now but a barren wasteland…" he gripped the Matrix in his hand gently and propped himself up onto his elbows, then his knuckles before lifting his full weight off the ground to stand.. "We have taken refuge here on planet Earth, its human race is our ally."

"My ship…" Sentinel exhaled concernedly, looking down as he recalled the memory with that perfect, Cybertronian recollection, "We came under fire. The pillars…" he looked sharply to Optimus as he clenched his fist in worry, his sword lowered at his side as he spoke, "Where are the _pillars_?"

Optimus took a few steps closer to his mentor, raising his hand in a motion for calm, reassurance. "You saved five of them, including the control pillar."

He sounded like he was trying to say it as a good thing, but Sentinel made a face of what could probably have been the equivalent of shock. Mearing appeared to be listening intently, moving her way past Tessa quietly to step closer to the railing, her eyes nailed to Optimus and Sentinel as the older bot spoke, "Only five? We once had hundreds."  
>"Excuse me, gentlemen-" the Director cut in, her voice sounding a fraction more frazzled than normal; clearly the tumultuous events of the scuffle had shaken her a little more than she planned to let on, "May I ask, what is this technology you're looking for?"<p>

"It is the ability to reshape the universe," Sentinel replied, "together the pillars form a space bridge. I designed, and I _alone_ can control it. It defies your laws of physics, to transport matter through time and space."

Even though Tessa had no doubt about the technological wonders that Cybertronians were capable of, the idea of something like that existing was enough to near boggle the mind; and clearly Mearing thought so too, because she replied with a somewhat disbelief in the back of her voice.

"You're talking about a teleportation device, aren't you?" she queried, seeking confirmation.

It was Optimus who answered her.

"Yes. For resources, and refugees."

Tess found her heart warm at the idea that Cybertronians in the war had thought to try and evacuate their people from the conflict zone, perhaps to avoid any battle and death altogether. It sounded like the plan of people who wanted safety, and to avoid conflict–

Mearing's voice, however cut into her thoughts about some ideal situation where the Autobots were trying to provide escape, "Refugees? Or troops of soldiers, weapons; maybe bombs! The means of an instant strike, that's it's military function isn't it?!"

…_Okay so maybe it's not an entirely innocent piece of equipment_, Tess thought reluctantly. It seemed that even the good guys wanted to get an edge in war…but certainly it was justified when done for the right reasons?

"It is _our_ technology," Sentinel barked sternly, not even bothering to look at Mearing as he spoke, which Tess actually found ironic to see someone brushing the _Director_ off so easily, "and it must be returned."  
>"Yes, if humans <em>say so<em>," Apparently, thought, Mearing was not having a bar of this whole 'being ignored' scenario, the mechanic would happily admit that the older woman had gall; she was certainly not going to be taking shit from anyone. Autobot leader or not. "You can't just bring _weapons of mass destruction_ into our atmosphere! Kind of have to clear Customs first, a little formality called paperwork – kinda _separates_ us from the animals"

_Wow…_ Tessa thought absently, _Mearing sounds __pissed__..._ She'd never seen the Director actually fly off the handle like that. Sure, she got annoyed a lot of the time…but she was never directly sarcastic or annoyed; at least not _often_.

"I will overlook your condescending tone," Sentinel said sternly, sounding like a father scolding a misbehaving child, "if you heed the gravity of mine. The Decepticons must never know the space bridge is here. For in their hands, it would mean the end of your world."

Sentinel was leaning close to the railing with a cold, sharp look on his features. Mearing visibly leaned back before he straightened and looked at Prime as though he had just brushed away a bug.

"These are dangerous times, Optimus," he remarked with that metallic, almost gravelly tone he seemed to carry, "you must ensure your soldiers…Cybertronian and _non_-" he glanced at the Director as she began to back up and walk away with her entourage to debrief, before looking back at his pupil, "-are prepared for what we face."

Tess stood with bated breath watching the scene between the two, and at first she felt concerned that the older bot seemed rather cold… But her fear was laid to rest when Sentinel suddenly reached out a hand and clasped it on Optimus' shoulder with an expression that was clearly one of fondness, his optics brightening with the kind of affection she often saw in the eyes of her parents, or her brothers.

"I am glad to have found you again, old friend." The newest Prime said warmly, "Primus praise that you are well, Optimus."

He nodded in response, a relieved and gentle tone in his voice as he conversed with his mentor. "I am, Sentinel." He paused before glancing at Tess, giving her a small smile and a nod of assurance before he spoke again, "But that is largely in part, to a human."

Sentinel quirked the metal plating above his eye in curious interest, he seemed much more amicable with Optimus than he had with any of the officials around; which Tess supposed was perfectly understandable. "A human, you say?"

"Yes. Sentinel, I would like for you to meet Tessa Jackson."

Optimus moved to the railing and placed a hand upon it beside Tess, his relaxed demeanour showing through now that Sentinel was alive again, safe and well within the walls of N.E.S.T's base. The older Prime followed his gaze and looked upon the mechanic, who felt she could not do much more than stand with her hands at her sides with a respectful smile on her face.

"It's an honour, Sentinel…" she said humbly, feeling her chest both frenzied and at peace at the same time; a conflict of Optimus' current emotions and her own. Subtle, but she could always tell it was there, "There's a lot of you in Optimus' memories…I'm glad he's got you back."  
>Sentinel paused at her remark, his eyes bordering on a strangely suspicious note, "…Memories, Optimus?" in response to this Optimus nodded, raising a finger off the railing to touch Tessa's cheek gently.<p>

"This, Sentinel…is my Sparkmate."


	116. Flake

**I am trying to make Sentinel a 'not-black-and-white' villain in this story.  
>Because I feel like Michael Bay didn't really go very 'deep' into Sentinel's character, into how conflicted he would feel over the whole betrayal thing.<strong>

**I mean, he was the teacher of Optimus' greatest and most honourable values, and I feel like there wasn't enough emotion between them in the movies; he was like a father to him and no father wants to betray their son.**

**ANWAY, Sentinel was very difficult to write in this chapter, because I don't want him to approve of the human/mech Sparkbond, but at the same time I want it to be clear that he cares about Optimus/trusts his judgement enough to reserve his own concerns and wait to see what he can make of it.**

**Hope you guys enjoy it!**

Tess wasn't sure whether to feel nervous or proud at the introduction to Sentinel.

She noticed the pause in the older Prime's posture, the way his illuminated Cybertronian eyes shot to Optimus at the statement, and momentarily it felt like her blood went cold.

"…Sparkmate, Optimus?" he asked slowly, seeming to be looking for clarification as he straightened his massive shoulders, the almost robe-like tails of his armour moving at the motion.

"Yes, Sentinel." Optimus said, his voice possessing total conviction that made Tess feel a little more sure of herself.

"Hm. Interesting, I'd have not thought that possible."

She wasn't really certain how Sentinel was exactly _reacting_ to the news, because he had yet to really say much at all…he wasn't acting like Mearing or Galloway, at least.

Every other 'official' they'd met in regard to their relationship always had their two cents to put in; and Tess decided to herself that this time, regardless of what her husband's mentor thought of _her_, he would need to trust in his student that Optimus had made his own choices. She loved him, and hopefully that would be enough for Sentinel, after all wasn't that what any father wanted? For their children to be happy? And for all intents and purposes, Optimus _did_ look to Sentinel as a father, she'd felt it in his memories, all that admiration and sudent-mentor affection. The older Prime had instilled all of her Chief's values and core beliefs to make him the being she loved, surely his happiness meant the world to Sentinel just as hers meant the world to _her_ father.

Tessa squared her shoulders and tried to relax her face, she could already feel the tension in her cheeks and her forehead and she was trying to ease them so as not to appear like she was trying to be threatening in any way.

"To be honest, sir," she started, responding to his remark, "we hadn't really given much thought to it being entirely possible either. It took a lot of trial and error…and one hell of a learning curve, but it was worth it."

Sentinel looked from the little human and back to Optimus, as though seeking confirmation of the details, and the younger Prime placed a hand on the railing near her as he spoke. "Tessa's body shut down during the final stages of the Sparkbond," he explained, "it was not an instantaneous process for her as it is for Cybertronians. Her heart stopped for a short while before completion and we almost lost her."  
>"Ah, we're tough Chief. We both pulled through," the mechanic laughed back, noticing Sentinel's rather quiet observation of their interactions; he still didn't seem to have much of an opinion either way and Tess wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad one.<p>

"Complications in a species difference would be expected, I suppose." Sentinel said finally, a hand raised to his chin to animatedly touch the strands of the unusual 'beard' he seemed to have, and Tessa was vaguely reminded of the image of a stereotypical Japanese 'sensei' type before he spoke again, gesturing directly to her, "Tell me, human. Do you find it was worth risking your lives? For this Bond?"

The question was a test, if ever she'd heard one. He was taking a total 'father' position right now, not unlike what her own would probably do in the same situation; trying to assess the true level of her feelings for this elder Prime's student and prodigy. She wrapped her fingers tightly around the railing and glanced at Optimus with a gentle, loving expression before she looked back at Sentinel.

She looked him square in the optics, and spoke with a voice that was filled with every shred of conviction in her body.

"I would stop my heart a thousand times over to be with him."

Both Prime's seemed to pause at that statement, and Optimus straightened his shoulders slightly, appearing quite complimented by her words. But Tessa's words were every bit sincere, she would go through that trouble again and again if it meant being able to be a part of him, and he of her. Sentinel gave her a serious and intense expression, and she felt more than a little exposed by it. His optics were every bit as piercing as any of the rest of the bots, but unlike those of her friends, his were far more searching, as if trying to peel back her layers and see within her.

"And what of Optimus?" he said finally, "Would you stop his Spark a thousand times over for the same reason, young human?"

"Of course not." Tess responded, actually feeling a slight sting of bother at the question, it was like he was trying to catch her out on something; and she wasn't sure whether it was a compliment on his affection for his student, or a dislike of her. Either way, she looked over at her partner and said firmly, "That wouldn't be my choice to make, it would be his. But the fact is that _I_ would go through it again if it meant being with him."

Apparently, this seemed to be a correct answer, because she could have _sworn_ that she spotted an upward tilt to the corner of Sentinel's mouth. He looked to his student with an audible 'hm' and a nod before he spoke again, "She is honourable Optimus. It concerns me that you have chosen among this human race, to take your mate from…" he glanced at Tessa, "…but it seems I have been in stasis for a long time. I have no position to make judgement, and so I reserve it for now. We will see what colours you fly, Lady Prime."

She had to bite her tongue to prevent her habit of correcting those who called her by that name, as she was used to Ironhide and Sideswipe using it as a jibe to annoy her. Sentinel, however, was using it as a protocol; he spoke the name as a formality rather than a jest, and she didn't want to insult him in his ways. Instead, she offered him a polite tip of her head.

"I appreciate that, sir," she said honestly, "…I'm glad that Optimus found you again. From what he's showed me…a lot of the things I love about him, I owe to you teaching him."

Optimus chuckled and lifted on of his fingers from the railing to touch her head tenderly, then he pushed off the walkway and spoke between his teacher and his wife, "Sentinel, there is a hangar you will be able to stay in, Ratchet will be close by should you need any assistance; I will show you the way. Tess, I will be back in the loft afterwards."

She smiled and gave him a nod, "Sure thing. Go spend time with Sentinel, I'll see you at home." Then Tess made her way off the walkway down to the ground floor as Sentinel began to follow Optimus in the direction of the hangar.

Her heart was still racing a little, nervous and concerned all at the same time. The reaction of Optimus' mentor had thrown her for a loop, really. Mostly because she had been expecting either acceptance or flat-out disapproval, like with Galloway or Mearing. At least she knew what to make of that; but Sentinel…

The elder Prime had presented such a reserved reaction, and she wasn't sure whether that was from his experience as a leader giving him a great poker face, or whether he was truly 'reserving judgement' as he'd seemed to put it. Rubbing the back of her neck, she glanced over at the massive doorway that they had left through and decidedly pulled out her phone. Dialling a rather long number for a secure phone line, she held the cell up to her ears as she reached the doors of the loft and punched in her access code.

It rung several times before a click confirmed a pick-up on the other end, and then a familiar drawl eased out of the speaker.

"_Jackson 'ere._"

Tess instantly felt a smile cross her features at the familiar voice, "Hey Az."

She heard her brother's voice on the voice audibly light up at her greeting, "_Tessie! How y'been sweet'eart?_"

"Good, everything's been good. How's everything going on the road with you and Magnus? You guys haven't been back in Washington for a month or so, you staying safe?"

A scoff resounded in her ears as she closed up the loft door and made her way to her little kitchen in the cut-out 'apartment' in her half of the space. She pulled a packet of Skittles out of one of the cupboards and tore the corner of the plastic before popping a few into her mouth.

"_S'if I ever get into trouble,_" Aaron retorted, pretending to sound offended by the question. "_but yeah, things've been goin' fine. Mag an' me, we're on th' way to Nebraska; capt'n of the department was sayin' there's been some Cons around the place._"

The mechanic gave a thoughtful 'hm' at the news. Aaron and Magnus had taken to their job at N.E.S.T with such an incredible amount of ease, especially after her brother's training in diagnostics with Maggie Madsen, is still-current girlfriend. She had been offered a job in software security under the command of Defence Minister Keller, a man who Tessa had been told had been present when the attack on Mission City had started. Maggie's new role was as his advisor, and she also doubled as a correspondent between the Department of Defence and the N.E.S.T headquarters; from what Aaron had told her, the Australian beauty was thriving on the challenge.

Tess still found it heart-warming that her rough-and-tumble, traveller-of-the-open-road brother had finally found someone that understood his quirks, that could match him in a snark war, who made him feel like there was a place for him. Az had spent much of his adult life on the road, and he still did that with Ultra Magnus…but with Maggie, and with N.E.S.T; he referred to the bases as 'home' now. He'd never called it home before, it made her happy for him.

Aaron Jackson and Magnus' job involved the interception and recognition of foreign signals and more often than not they also played the part of 'back-up' for N.E.S.T units who were out on the field dealing with enemies. It was sometimes quite dangerous, but the two were a good team; and the middle Jackson sibling was much more clever than he let on; in a bad situation he always found a way to get them out alive.

"_So'd how'd the deal with the moon-landin' go? They find Lance Armstrong's footprints or something' up there?_" he laughed.

Tessa snorted at him and flopped down on her little sofa with an arm rested over the back and her knees curled up to her chest. It felt good to be able to talk to him, she still missed him as much as she had when he was still just a trucker. "It went really well. Ratch came back with a whole bunch of equipment for the Med-Bay, and they found Chief's…well he's kind of like his _dad_ in a way-"

"_Shit, seriously?! The Capt'n 'as a __dad__?! What's 'e like?_"

She fidgeted on the couch a little at the question, reminded of the seemingly undecided indifference Sentinel had displayed towards her situation with Optimus. But in a way, she certainly understood his reservations, after all there had been issues with the Spark Bond ideal before they'd even bonded; but they had worked through those and solved them.

Perhaps all Sentinel needed was time to see that.

"Well, he's...I don't know I guess I can't really judge him yet. He only just got revived, Chief used that energy source on him; the one that brought _him_ back the first time. Sentinel doesn't really seem too…warm, about the fact that we're bonded. But I dunno, that might just be him acting like a dad; I mean look at what _Dad_ did the first time Riley dated that girl in high school."  
>Aaron broke out into laughter at the mention, recalling the time with great clarity, "<em>Ah hell yeah! Pops was all 'don't be bringin' home no girls who're gonna break hearts or banks! By the time <em>_you__ started datin' though, Pop didn't even need to say nothin' cause me an' Riles were there instead!_"

"Oh, I remember alright…you guys were such assholes!" she laughed, her face lighting up fondly, "I'm surprised I dated _at all_ with the threats you used to give them!"

"_Eh, born bad, baby._" She could just picture him shrugging nonchalantly at the recollection; Az had always been the 'I will cut you with a spoon' type of brother when it came to Tessa dating, and Riley was a little more 'Not going to hurt you unless you hurt my sister' sort. Their father was a little bit more of a happy medium.

…But only a _little_.

"Smartass."

Tessa's eyes lifted to the door when she heard the familiar sound of the large doors unlock, the beep of the security disabling before they opened to allow Optimus in, locking it after him in preparation to settle in for the evening. She shot him a smile and a small wave, gesturing to her phone to which he simply nodded, smiled and made his way to his storage room to find some Energon.

"_Man…it's gonna be nice t'go back home for a bit after all these intercepts, ain't that right Mag?_" Az said with a groan, sounding like he was having a stretch. She heard a voice in the background which she recognised as Ultra Magnus; obviously Aaron was driving which before finding out about the Autobot truck, she'd have scolded him for. But Magnus was hardly going to allow the hick to crash his Alt mode, so talking on the phone was hardly a threat to road-safety for him anymore.

"Have things been busy out there?" Tess asked concernedly, folding her legs underneath her as she chatted with him, "I mean, have you encountered a lot?"

"_Yeah, little more 'an usual to be honest. It's the same ol' shit…just more…I dunno, __frequent__ I guess. Maybe they're gearin' up fer somethin' or some shit like that._"

"Christ, Az…I hope not."

"_Ah, we'll be fine. Ain't nothin' gonna take us down; me an' Mag kick serious ass._"

"Oh I'm sure you do, tough guy." She teased, reclining back in the chair.

Tessa heard Aaron laughing on the other end of the line, saying something to Magnus with a laugh before the bot responded with a muffle tone through the cellphone speaker. Then her brother made a sound similar to 'yep' before he addressed his sister on the other end of the line.

"_Ay, Tessie, might 'ave to call ya later on; Mag's getting' an incoming from the team we're with. I'll talk to ya again soon?_"  
>"Yeah, definitely. It was nice to hear your voice, Azzy; I miss your ugly face."<p>

"_Who wouldn't?_" he teased, "_Missin' you too, brat. Love ya._"

"Love you too, stay safe."  
>"<em>Will do.<em>"

The phone hung up with a click, and Tessa stood up from the couch to stretch her legs. Making her way up the spiral stairs to the top half of the loft, she noticed Optimus coming out of the storage unit with a cube of Energon in his hand and a somewhat calm expression on his face. She smiled gently at him, leaning over the railing after she tucked her cell away into her pocket.

"How's things go with Sentinel?" she asked.

Optimus took a sample of the Cybertronian beverage and looked to the door as he thought about his answer, it felt wonderful to know that his mentor was safe and under their protective roof. "He is a little disorientated I would imagine, which is unsurprising given the length of time he was in stasis. And I suppose finding out that I am bonded may have been a surprise to him."

She nodded at the statement, riling up her shoulders in a shrug and looking up at her husband with a somewhat concerned expression, "Yeah, about that, Chief…not to sound like I'm picking or anything…but did Sentinel seem a bit stand-offish to you when you mentioned the Sparkbond? Did he say anything to you about it when you took him to the hangar?"

The Autobot leader sighed heavily before downing the remainder of his Energon, placing the empty cube on his massive metal desk space before making his way to Tessa and putting a hand on the railing beside her.

"I _did_ notice his reaction to the news…but no, he did not mention anything in particular about it when we were alone. I did try to ask him, but it would seem that he is adamant on keeping his judgement to himself."

"…Do you think that's a good thing of a bad one…?"

A concerned expression crossed his features as he regarded her, seeing the crease in her brow and the downward, worried turn of her mouth as she addressed him. In response he smiled and gave a low, rumbling chuckle and touched the top of her head gently. "Tessa, I am not sure how much you remember of Sentinel from my memories, but he has always been a mech who bides his time. I believe he has concerns about this, but he is not condemning our bond, I believe he is waiting to see the reasons _why_ I chose you. And your certainty in regard to it would certainly not have gone unnoticed."

"Certainty?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him, "What does _my_ certainty have to do with his opinion of you picking me?"

"I would stop my Spark a thousand times as well," he said firmly, "and your readiness to admit that you were prepared to do something like that…those are the very qualities that will allow him to come to accept it. Even though you are not Cybertronian, Tessa…you have always accepted us, treated us as your own; as we would do for you. Regardless of what anyone, man _or_ mech, thinks of this," he gestured to the dwindling space between them with his finger, "you will always have a place at my side."

"Well," she said with a sigh, leaning her arms on the railing to look up at him with a tired expression; it had been a very long day, "here's to hoping he grows to approve of me then, Chief."

He planted a cumbersome, awkward kiss against the tiny human's head. "I have no doubt."


	117. Redefine

**I AM RUNNING ON FUMES RIGHT NOW OMG.**

**So much Red Bull and so little sleep to get this out.**

**Sentinel is such a bitch to write, but this was a necessary filler unfortunately. I AM NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH IT, portraying Sentinel how I have him in my head seems so hard to try and explain, but hopefully it's understandable ;_;**

**Hope you guys are well; had so much going on here which is only one of an absolute MULTITUDE of reasons that I haven't been getting chapters out. Slowly but surely we are getting there, and I cannot wait to reach the destination with you guys :)**

**It will be quite a story arc once the action kicks off.**

**MUCH LOVE MY MINIONS xxx**

It was unpleasant dreams that woke Tess in the early hours of the morning.

She couldn't recall any specifics of it, nothing significant had happened; it was just the sort of sleep where one woke up feeling ill-at-ease and restless. Glancing to her bedside table, the alarm clock read '_3:45am_' and she sighed heavily at the knowledge that she would probably not be able to get back to sleep.

Swinging her feet over the edge, Tess cast a glance at Optimus over on the large berth, completely still and silent apart from the occasional hitch of a breath-cycle or the twitch of one of his fingers; Tess knew those things were the result of stasis 'fluxes' similar to nightmares. He had them every now and again, nothing too frequent but even now after so long being in the same living space as him Tess never got used to it.

She didn't _like_ that he was reliving bad things when he rested.

He had been working into the night, which was why Tess had chosen to sleep in her 'apartment' rather than beside him, her loft was a little further away from his work bench than the joint berth. Tip-toeing across the room, she grabbed herself a towel and made her way to the little bathroom off to the side of the loft to have a shower.

Optimus was not necessarily a _light_ sleeper, but being a soldier he was akin to being prepared for battle at a moment's notice, therefore Tess tried to remain as quiet as possible a she closed the door and used the shower. Thankfully the walls in each room at N.E.S.T were all designed to keep most sounds to the room they were confined in, so when she had cleaned up, washed her hair and wrapped herself in her towel and exited the bathroom, she was relieved to see that Optimus was still not awake.

After the events of the day before, he no doubt needed the extra sleep anyway.

Rummaging around in her drawers, she found herself some underwear and a clean, navy jumpsuit, although like the rest of her work gear it still had stained patches that would never come out. Pulling on a black tank top and slipping the arms of the jumpsuit over her to zip it up against the morning air, she pulled her hair up into its usual sloppy bun and tip-toed down to the kitchen.

Tess grabbed a small bag of her sweets and sidled over to the door, picking up her work boots on the way out. As usual, the base was well lit and there were already people working away; N.E.S.T was one of those places that never slept…they couldn't afford to.

Her first thought was to see if anyone she knew was awake, and out of habit she headed for the medical bay to look for Ratchet. She'd spent the last few years under his guidance, and because of it she was used to the morning ritual of meeting him in the med-bay for practice and aid.

As she entered the bay, she looked around to see that it was in fact empty. She couldn't say that she was surprised, even the cranky medic needed to sleep _sometime_. Rubbing the back of her neck Tessa gave a low sigh, listening to the distant sound of voices and work going on around the base; admittedly she felt a little useless this early in the morning; there was not exactly much that needed repairing at this time of the day.

Instead, she decided to go to the training range, where the recruits and soldiers could practice shooting when off-duty or during their down time.

Tess wasn't seen there very often seeing as she wasn't really a fan of handling a gun, however she had been thoroughly trained in at least the basics of firearm combat, just as Aaron had when it had been decided that he and Magnus would be joining the N.E.S.T family. She was certainly no bullseye champion, many of her trainers had told her that at least once; but at least she knew how to load a weapon, or to hold the gun without shooting anyone by accident. Her temperature based hand-cannon was still safely in Ratchet's medical bay, and the medic often suggested she wear it on her person when around the base.

Tess didn't really like the idea of doing so, because as a person she hated the prospect of having such a powerful weapon at her fingertips. It was a stupid and ignorant ideal, because Tess knew better than anybody that they lived in a dangerous world, taking part in a dangerous war; but that didn't mean she had to enjoy carrying a weapon. She had compromised with the med-bot by agreeing to keep the cannon on hand during her _working_ hours.

Begrudgingly, and with much irritated mumbling from the medic, he had allowed the condition; still berating her in saying it was safer to keep it close at all times. Tess, being naïve and still just a little bit ignorant to the requirements of war, would simply chide him with an 'okay, I get it.'

Once the mechanic reached the firing range, she headed to the locker cages where the training weapons were kept for practice, choosing a small handgun and opening a drawer to find a box of rounds. She remembered a few times that Aaron had tried showing her how to use his shotgun… It hadn't gone well.  
>Tess smiled to herself as she remembered the momentn she'd fired, not expecting the kick-back of the weapon and had ended up tripping over, elbowing her brother in the ribs and landing flat on her ass. It still made Aaron laugh whenever she mentioned it.<p>

Since then she had decided to exclusively restrict herself to the use of smaller guns, with the exception of her charge cannon.

The young woman found a target off to the far corner of the range, placed a set of earmuffs on her head and set about slowly loading up the magazine, being sure to take her time as she was really in no hurry.

Despite the early hour, N.E.S.T was busy enough and loud enough that the sounds of someone in the firing range would not really cause much of a stir; the sleeping quarters of the base were far enough away from the bustle of the building to be any problem to those still sleeping.

The shooting range had a large entryway for the bots to access, mostly at Ironhide's request so that he could oversee the soldiers capabilities; he liked to be able to give them information and advice about taking down Decepticons while they were training. She still recalled the many times that Ironhide had made newer soldiers near jump their skins with a sudden cry of 'WAIT' or 'NO, NO, NO!' at them; he never was what one would call…easy on the letdown.

A smile crossed her features as she lost herself in the rhythm of firing at the target, reloading and doing so again. She loved her little dysfunctional Cybertronian clan so much that it hurt; she didn't know what she'd do if she lost any of them in this war, but maybe the discovery of the Space Bridge would aid them in victory.

She could only hope so, they deserved a rest so _much_.

The little mechanic lost track of the time as she practiced, her thoughts all but blocking out the world around her; this was one of the things she _did_ enjoy about having done firearms training, it was very easy to get into a zone when all one needed to focus on was the target ahead. In a way it reminded her of the first few times that Ironhide had given her training on using her temperature cannon.

As she started to reload another lot of bullets into the handgun, she felt the ground rumble beneath her feet, and she turned to see Sideswipe entering through the side of the range. Tess pulled the earmuffs down around her neck so that she could hear properly and shot him a grin.

"Hey Sides," she greeted warmly, "what's up?"

The wheel-footed bot crouched down on his haunches with a cheeky expression, and Tess found herself realising that she'd missed it more than she'd realised. "Not much, kid. Just thought I'd come see who was making all the racket, and lo-and-behold I find the biggest pest of them all."

The mechanic scoffed and stuck out her tongue at the Corvette cheekily, "Yeah, says you mister 'let's-get-every-little-scratch-buffed' you are the king of being a pest."

Sideswipe waved a hand nonchalantly as though to dismiss her insult as he laughed at her. "That's cute."

He crouched down beside her and looked at the target she was firing at, placing a finger at his chin, a human mannerism that he seemed to have picked up over his years on Earth. "You need a partner?" he asked, gesturing to the targets at the back of the range.

With a grin Tess looked up at him and set down the handgun, pointing at the target with a teasing finger. "Sure! I feel like kicking someone's ass."

As she expected, the silver bot began to laugh at her and gestured at the firearm in her hand with a mocking tone, "I hate to break it to you, babe, but you're no sharp shooter."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered with a smile and a shake of her head, "well let's see how well _you_ do without your targeting systems, hm?"

With a scoff, the Corvette disengaged the systems and withdrew a firearm, "You're on."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Tessa lost the challenge 1 to 5, and the only reason she had beaten Sideswipe at even _one_ of the rounds was because she had told him he had a scratch on his arm just as he was about to fire.

The vain Autobot had whirled his head to view the alleged marking, and missed the target ahead of him. Tess had been forced to grip the barrier to stop from falling to the floor with laughter. Sideswipe had been in a resentfully foul mood after her 'cheat' and told her that she was the biggest human pest he'd ever met, the little mechanic had just looked up at him, laughed and told him that she loved him too.

He had proceeded to win the next two rounds and she finally admitted defeat; she was most definitely no sharp shooter but her basic skills would certainly be enough to keep her from dying in the event of an emergency. By the time the two had decided to call it quits in the shooting range it was getting closer to 6 am, and the activity on base was starting to grow as more of the soldiers and techs began to arrive or wake from the barracks.

As the misfit duo exited the shooting range, they were greeted with the sight of Sentinel Prime standing outside the shooting range, having been observing the occupants. Tessa was perched up on Sideswipe's shoulder with a relaxed pose and a broad smile on her face, which instantly sank a fraction upon seeing the elder Prime standing before them.

"Sentinel!" Sideswipe exclaimed respectfully, offering a short tip of his head as a form of salute for the leader. "Good to see you, sir."  
>"Fine morning, soldier." Sentinel replied, his regal tone carrying a calm air about it, "Training?"<p>

The Corvette nodded and gestured to his shoulder, "Yes sir, firearms practice with Tess here."

She felt her shoulders stiffen and her back straighten as the bot turned his gaze to her. Tess knew that he was a well-respected member of Cybertronian but she could not help but feel like he was scrutinising her whenever they spoke. She offered him a bright smile, nervously tightening her grip on Sideswipe's soldiers.

"Lady Prime," he said with a slight lilt to his tone, "good to see you are training for the war."

She did not miss the patronising tone in his voice, though it was so minor that if she hadn't expected it she might have missed it. Sentinel had generally been perfectly cordial to her, but there was no way to dismiss the nagging feeling that he did not entirely approve of her still remained.

In a way she supposed she understood, having been out of the loop for so long Sentinel had not personally experienced the things that made the humans and Autobots at N.E.S.T work as such a well-oiled team; he could not possibly understand the similarities between them, and the relationships they had formed like the one that she had with Sideswipe.

"Yes sir," she replied with a slightly forced casual tone, "I mean I'm no sniper, that's for sure; but I like to know I can be of some help to everyone."  
>"I am glad to hear that," he said levelly, turning to Sideswipe with a calm expression and motioning slightly to the human on his shoulder, "could I have a word with her Lady, soldier?"<p>

The silver bot seemed a little surprised by the request; Sentinel was certainly civil but he hadn't yet tried to speak to her on a seemingly personal level. "Uh, yes sir. Tess?"

"No, no that's fine," she said quickly, gripping the side of his helm to pull herself to her feet.

Surprisingly, Sentinel reached a hand forward for her to step onto, something that she'd never had him do; and it made her wonder what exactly he was requesting her time for. Her friend let her switch transportation, and then offered a brief goodbye before he decided it would be best for him to leave them be.

The Prime made his way slowly away from the firing range, seeming to have no particular destination in mind. She did not want to be the first to say anything, rather confused by his choice to speak with her. Eventually he stopped in one of the briefing hangars, putting her down carefully on the raised walkway where the terminals and screens were located. The mechanic leaned heavily on the railing as she looked up at her husband's mentor with a genuinely curious expression.

"So I guess you had a reason for wanting to talk to me?" she said conversationally, one of her hands gesturing to the space between them, "Is everything…good?"  
>Sentinel seemed to pace slowly, back and forth across the hangar in front of her with languid, unhurried steps. His hands were calmly at his sides and his shoulders were set in a rigid brace as he turned to face her, expression thoughtful. It felt strange to be in proximity to the elder Prime without Optimus or any of the other officials present, and Tess would be lying if she said it wasn't a little…<em>strange<em>.

"How long have you been Prime, Tessa Jackson?"

He watched the way she seemed to scrunch up her shoulders in an almost defensive manner, however her eyes seemed to portray much more confidence than her physical mannerisms.

"I'm not, sir. I'm not a Prime."

"And yet you are his Sparkmate. Are you not aware of the duty that entails?" he remarked, standing with his form opposite her, "You command all of his forces, you are Prime by association."

Tessa swung back slightly on her heels before curling her hands tightly around the railing, "Well I don't want it. I know what it entails, but I've already promised myself; Optimus' soldiers are his to command, not mine."

"I find it honourable that you believe that possible, but in war the order of command is unpredictable. Should the situation arise, can his soldiers count on you to lead them?"

He watched as she visibly cringed a little at the words, noticing the way her knuckles whitened on the railing. The mechanic was silent for a short while before she licked her lips and gave a heavy breath, looking up to view him squarely in the optics.

"Honestly, Sentinel sir, I don't know. I would hope that it never comes to that, but I don't know. How could anyone know if they were ready for something like that?"

Sentinel gave a noise of affirmation, "Spoken with the potential of a leader, Lady Prime." He paused and took a few more back-and-forth pacing steps as he began to speak again, "I will confess that a human would not be my first choice for Optimus to have chosen as a Sparkmate. But I have been in stasis for a very long time…You are not without honour, he would not have chosen you otherwise. Even if I do not see the…_appeal_ of your people, I know not of the trials the two of you have faced."

"I love him." Tess said suddenly, her voice full of every possible conviction she could muster.

She was surprised to see him nod at her response, it seemed like he was mulling over her answer, and Tess couldn't help but feel a little relieved that it was more of a conversation than a chew-out. She knew that he was not exactly a_pproving_ of the fact that Optimus had taken a human Sparkmate, but she supposed that it was something of an impasse.

"You were his teacher, Sentinel," the woman said quietly, she was so tired of explaining her relationship with Optimus to people who did not necessarily approve of their cross-species romantic endeavour, "and I respect you for everything that he is because of you. I owe you a lot, but I'm not going to apologise for being human."

"And I imagine that would be why he chose you. Potential."

A humph came from him and he nodded, heading towards the exit; it seemed he was almost done with this conversation, and Tess found herself once again not sure how to feel about Sentinel Prime.

He seemed so much like Optimus' teacher one minute, and a critic the next; he had only been in the safety of N.E.S.T's care for barely a day and she already knew that she might not be able to wrap her head around how he worked. Even so, it seemed there was a reluctant respect on their common ground. She respected him for the teachings he had given to Optimus, and he respected that she was whom his student had chosen.

She supposed it would have to be enough.


	118. Digital Shadow

**MY ABSENCE SHOULD BE ILLEGAL.**

**I HAVE MISSED YOU GUYS SO, SO MUCH AND I AM SO SORRY I AM SO, SO LATE WITH THIS UPDATE. Truth be told I kind of fell into other fandoms on top of having HORRIBLE art block and EXCRUCIATING writer's block.**

**But I am trying to keep going, because WE ARE GOING TO FINISH THIS STORY I SWEAR TO PRIMUS.**

**Enjoy my lovelies, I hope it is up to scratch. Updates may be slow-going, but they WILL be updated! THIS I VOW 3 Just bear with me; my computer is on the way out and trying to get it working properly long enough to write is a long process haha**

When Tess arrived in the cafeteria for breakfast, she was unsurprised to find Lennox already there, sitting with a cup of coffee cradled in his hands and a serving of scrambled eggs beside him.

She smiled at the way his hair was sticking out all over the place, and his eyes still stuck every time he blinked. True he was a soldier in every way, but that didn't make him a morning person. Laughing as she reached him she sat down beside him, glad for something to take her mind off the conversation with Sentinel.

"You look like death, Will." She teased, crossing her arms on the table and grinning at him, "I thought you were an early riser."

Lennox glanced at her with a jovial chuckle before shaking his head and sipping his coffee. There were some documents on the table next to his breakfast that he was clearly reviewing, and not for the first time Tess noticed that he was less inclined to preach at her about 'confidentiality' these days. The mechanic was as 'in' on the secret as she would ever be. "Yeah, didn't get a lot of sleep last night. We were having a briefing about the whole 'moon' fiasco, and I was on the phone to Sarah till pretty late."

Leaning casually onto her hands she looked at him with a genuinely interested expression; she knew how much Lennox missed his family, she didn't blame him. "How are they?"

He nodded, "Yeah, really good. Just feels like I haven't seen them in so long, visits are few and far between with all this war going on, you know?" Tess sighed and nodded in response, her expression one of understanding empathy.

"I know what you mean, I haven't seen my niece and nephew since maybe a few months after we came to DC. It can be hard being separated for so long, have they been coping okay?"

The soldier gave a shrug and sipped his coffee, but she knew him better than to think he was being nonchalant. Colonel Lennox just tried no the make a big deal out of it because it made _him_ sad, and she knew it. For all his bravery and chivalry he was still a husband and father, it had to be hard to try and prioritise this war over his family.

Because his part in this was what kept them safe at night, but that wouldn't have made it any easier.

Deciding to change the subject, knowing Lennox did not want to talk about it, Tess scratched the back of her neck and placed her head on her fist, "Sentinel came and spoke to me this morning," she said conversationally, the soldier quirking a brow up for her to continue, "I woke up just before 4 this morning, so I went to the range to practice. Sides kept me company for a bit, then Sentinel asked to see me. I don't think he's really…_happy_ with Optimus choosing a human as a Sparkmate, but I think he's kind of taking a back seat."

Lennox gave a conversational laugh, taking a mouthful of scrambled eggs before he spoke with a grin, "That makes for a nice change, seems like everyone _else_ has an opinion to belt out."

She sighed in response, folding her arms to rest her chin on them and look up at her friend, "You're telling me. I mean, I understand, I guess. Chief and I aren't exactly white picket fence material."

"Unless it was a really _big_ fence." Lennox offered, that characteristic smile crossing his features as he managed to rile up a laugh out of the woman. She nodded her agreement, knowing that her other half was not exactly the most subtle of men, in more than one way.

Tessa tapped the table gently and gave another short laugh before picking up her weapon and getting to her feet, "Speaking of him, I'd better go say good morning. He had a late night like you did, finding that Autobot ship was a lot to take in I think." Lennox nodded in response and waved her goodbye, returning to his breakfast as she left the cafeteria to go find Optimus.

As it turned out his was already in the command centre, discussing something with his Autobots. Tess approached quietly, choosing to go up on the walkway and wait for them to finish talking. Ironhide and Sideswipe both appeared to glance in her direction, but it seemed that Dino was not particularly interested in her; and to be perfectly honest Tess had stopped trying to make conversation with him a while ago.

Dino was the kind of Cybertronian that seemed to think of humans more like household pests than equals; but even she had to admit that he'd gotten better than when he'd first arrived. He at least obeyed orders, and generally kept his comments to himself, but it was easy to see that he preferred not to be touched by humans, although he was _perfectly_ content to be admired by them.

Evidently Optimus was not discussing anything particularly urgent with them, it seemed he was simply checking in with them to see how things on base were running. He seemed particularly interested to know about how they felt Sentinel was settling in, and Tess found herself feeling a smile tug at her lip knowing that beneath that leader's façade was a being who was happy to have a friend back home.

It was encouraging to see him in such good spirits, and no doubt his soldiers felt the lift.

She knew that the rest of the Autobots could sense Optimus' concerns, his stresses; even when he himself was not entirely aware that they were being displayed. With his mentor safe on Earth and well within the walls of N.E.S.T's protection, he was unknowingly portraying something happy.

"Squishy!" came the gruff rasp of Ironhide's voice, causing Tess to glance over and see the Topkick taking a few large steps to where she stood, "Is there anything left of the firing after your little competition with Sideswipe?"

She looked over at the Corvette-bot and shot him a grin, "Was he bitching because he lost a round?"

"You _cheated_!" the silver Autobot retorted, having heard her jibe at him, pointing accusingly even though his tone was hardly serious, "She told me I had a scratch and I lost my aim."

Ironhide gave a rasping, roaring laugh and swung a hand to clap Sideswipe on the back with a loud clang, "That will show you for being vain, you over-polished slagger!" he mocked, laughing again when Sideswipe started to inspect for any more scuffs Hide might have given him. While he retorted back and began a snarky argument about Ironhide being jealous of his well kempt exterior, Optimus took the opportunity to approach Tessa on the walkway and place a hand on the rail beside her.

"Good morning," he rumbled warmly, reaching up with his other hand to cradle her into the bridge of his nose affectionately. He felt her press a kiss to the sensitive metal there as she traced her fingers familiarly against the markings on his facial plates.

"Morning, Chief." She replied happily, "How did you sleep?"

He hesitated for a moment before replying, knowing full well that she was able to tell when he had trouble with stasis fluxes; so instead he opted for the truth in a way that would not alert his soldiers. "Having Sentinel home…stirred many memories. Some good, others less."

She nodded, gently rubbing the metal of his fingers in a comforting gesture, "It will get better."

The Prime gave a gentle smile, the one he reserved strictly for her, before touching her back tenderly with his fingers and then standing back up to his full height and straightening his broad shoulders. "I will be out this morning," he informed her calmly, "I wish to speak with Sentinel off-base, to show him the richness of your planet. With some time he may come to view this as his home."

"I'm sure he will," Tess grinned, hands on the railing as she leaned back to feel her spine crack satisfyingly, "This war can't last forever; here is as good a home for him as any, _you're_ here after all."

"Speaking of lasting wars, _Lady Prime_," came Sideswipe's mocking tone, the formal address of her Prime title causing the mechanic to direct her gaze at him almost immediately, "Didn't you promise Ratchet you would carry your temperature cannon on you while you were on base?"

Her shoulders slumped a fraction at the reminder, having completely forgotten to do so outside of her usual morning routine; waking at a quarter to four had thrown out her schedule, it seemed. "Hey, come on give me a break it's like 6:30 in the morning!"

"Tess is right," Ironhide said nonchalantly, bringing out one of his cannons and examining it casually as he continued. Tess was surprised to hear him agreeing, but soon found out why. "After all, Decepticons would _never_ instigate an attack while the human mechanic is tired."

…Sarcasm.

Tess shot her friend a snarky glare and pointed at him resignedly, "Okay, okay! I get it, jeez there's no reason to be an asshole, _God_!"

"Oh, Primus willing, there is _every_ reason." Ironhide retorted snidely, his good optic shimmering with mirth as he mocked her amusedly, "Now off with you and your squashy little hide, I won't protect you if Megatron comes bursting through that door and you ignored orders about carrying weapons."

The mechanic stuck her tongue out, "Yes you would." Tess jeered back, "Even if you _are_ an asshole." She turned to Optimus with an amused smile, noticing the way he gave a rumbling chuckle at his soldier's jibing, "I'll see you when you get back?"

A soft look crossed his features before he reached up and tenderly touched her chin with the very tip of his finger, "Always," he replied fondly, to which she planted a kiss on the digit before swinging playfully on the rail and grinning at him like a giddy high-school student.

"I love you, Chief," she smiled earnestly, "Have fun."

She could feel a sense of great love in the air which was no doubt brought on by the connection of the bond. Tess had noticed that while his emotions came across to her as subtle, niggling feelings in the back of her mind, but Optimus had informed her that he often felt _her_ emotions with great accuracy. According to Ratchet this was because of the Prime being an actual Cybertronian, whereas Tess was not.

Her body was not attuned to accessing the finer points of a Sparkbond, so the most she got was the occasional subconscious feeling of whatever emotion Optimus might be having at certain times.

As the Prime left to go and find Sentinel, the mechanic made her way to the medical bay to see Ratchet about having her weapon on her.

She knew that Ironhide and Sideswipe were right, she needed to carry it on her at all times, even in the early hours of the morning. It wasn't even the fact that she disliked carrying a weapon, because she was well-trained in firearms basics now and was not exactly a novice with her cannon anymore. It was laziness on her part, and she needed to be smarter than that.

War was unpredictable, and she was always telling herself that she was not going to be the Autobots' weak link; that she was going to be stronger for them.

'_Start __acting__ like it then, Tess!_' she scolded herself, clenching one of her fists before releasing it with a sigh. As the med bay came into view she ran a hand through her hair, pushing her minor moment of self-frustration aside when she spotted Ratchet.

"Morning, Doc." She called, giving him a smile and a wave, "Sleep well?"

The Hummer-bot looked down at her from his holo-pad with a somewhat surprised expression, seeing as Tess was not normally in the medical bay until perhaps the mid-hours of the morning. Her earlier morning duties usually had her repairing military trucks and working on upgrading engine parts before she was scheduled to work for him.

"Well enough," the gruff medic replied, "you're early."

Rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly she smiled at her friend, "Yeeaaahh, I need my charge cannon off you. Ironhide was getting ready to chew my ass about not carrying it, I think."

Nodding simply, Ratchet placed his workpad down on one of the large berths and made his way towards a set of large steel cabinets with an electric lock. He placed a finger to his forehead and the human mechanic watched knowingly as the red light on the cabinets beeped and turned green; Ratchet had a personal code for it that only he or the other Autobots could access.

"I still think you should keep this in your chambers with Optimus," he said, beginning a lecture that she had already guessed was coming. The med-bot had a tendency to give his professional opinion even when nobody asked for it, and it was something Tess loved about her friend and mentor because he often called people out on their bullshit, "Should the Decepticons manage to locate and attack the base, you would be defenceless if you could not get to it."

"Duly noted, boss." Tess smiled, letting him drop the weapon into her hands.

He watched her strap the cannon over her chest and let it hang down over her back, the weight of the weapon somewhat familiar against her spine. The mechanic rocked back on her heels and watched as Ratchet picked up his datapad once more and started to continue his work.

"So what's on the schedule today?" she asked, climbing up the ladder onto one of the walkways so that she was eye-level with her mentor. The bipedal emergency vehicle gave a very slight huff and lowered the pad to his side as he shot her a familiarly irritable look.

"Work." He stated shortly, "I'll be repairing the grounded Apache, provided you will let me get back to it."

She snorted at his attitude, knowing perfectly well that he didn't mean anything by the terrible bedside manner; Ratchet was one of the Autobots that she knew had never really compromised his mannerisms to fit in better with humans. He was cranky as a Cybertonian medic, and he was cranky as an Earth military medic too; but after so many years under his tutelage Tess had learned to take it in stride, he didn't mean it.

"Sorry," she replied sheepishly, tapping the railing and squaring her shoulders professionally, "Okay then, let's get to work!"

-0-0-0-0-0-

Tessa and Ratchet were halfway through the repairs when the medic made a chirping sound from the gears of his helm. It was usually the sound of an alert or a report, and it made Tessa look up from the exposed engine of the copter. Ratchet raised a hand to his head gears as it gave a repeating chirp, the medic becoming silent as Tess suspected he was activating the Com-Link.

The mechanic turned her attention back to the engine, focusing on the physical repairs while Ratchet was not working on the computer system update. It was something that she had noticed, he enjoyed doing the work with updating military system computers and GPS products; because it was something he did not have to use a Holoform for. The medic was not a fan of the 'false body' which she completely understood.

However it seemed Tess was not able to get back into the thick of her work, because Ratchet's address of her name gave her another reason to look up.

He seemed…perturbed.

"What is it, Ratch?"

The medic paused for a fraction of a second, but maintained his gruff composure to speak. "It…was a report from Arcee."

The mechanic dropped her socket wrench with a clatter and leapt to her feet, "Arcee?! Are they okay, did they find anything?!"

"It is a pre-recorded message, Tessa. Not a live feed; they are too far away for a connection of that calibre, it seems." Ratchet knelt down to hold his hand to the ground, allowing her to climb onto his palm so that he could lift her onto the walkway. He forwarded the transmission to one of the computer screens that she stood in front of. "They have sent me these when they can, and I inform Optimus when new information is reported."

"What's the message? Is everyone okay?"

Ratchet wirelessly accessed the system and played the message on the single terminal so that Tess could listen for herself; he had already assessed it in milliseconds upon receiving the relay. Arcee's voice came through the speakers, there was no video attached to the message this time (_seeing as occasionally they sent him clips for his diagnosis on_) and the medic did not fail to notice the way his pupil's mouth stretched into a smile and her eyes lit up upon hearing their comrade's voice again.

"_Outgoing to base,_" she heard Arcee say, sounding slightly crackled in the transmission with a rather fed-up undertone, "_Feels like slagging metacycles that we've been out here; but there have been some changes in the last few hours. Found a crashed ship on a dead planet, but it's definitely one of ours. So far no signs of 'Con activity in the area, but Jolt and the Twins found a crash vault. It's been sealed up tight, going to try and crack it open; we're prepping emergency beacons if it goes wrong._

_Hope to update within another Earth day or so, depending on how long it takes, our tools weren't ready for an excavation of this magnitude. Arcee out._"

The transmission cut and Tess looked up at Ratchet with an expression that he could only assume was joy, which he found strange given that the file was literally just a basic report; there was not any specific 'good' or 'bad' news delivered.

And yet she grinned at him like someone had promised her a mountain of Skittles.

"What is so amusing?" he asked vacantly, receding the transmission and returning to his work on the chopper's computer system. As he'd expected she was climbing down the gangway and jogging over to join him with work on the air vehicle.

Tessa could not hide her smile, even as she delved into the guts of the engine she couldn't. "Because, Doc," she said firmly, "It means that something could go _right_ for once! There could be Autobot civilians in there; or more _soldiers_!"

"Or it could be a dead crash vault," Ratchet interjected grimly, his tone sounding almost business like which made Tessa realise he was probably trying not to get his hopes up too much, "It could be an empty site of nothing but bodies and dry Energon."

Tessa poked her head out from the engine and shot him a foul look, her brows furrowed seriously, "Way to keep things on the up, Mr. Positivity," she snarked at him, "I dunno I think you just…need to look on the bright side. I have a _good_ feeling, Ratch, I really do."

The cantankerous med-bot took in a deep cycle of air before releasing it with a hiss, his optics focusing down at the mechanic as she returned to her work, expression still stern even though she was no longer looking at him directly.

_Lady Prime_, he thought to himself, _I hope to Primus that you are right_.


End file.
